


No one's Servant

by SareBear96



Category: Durarara!!, Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: A deceptively slow fast burn, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Animal Transformation, Biting, Blood Drinking, Cat Izaya, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Denial of Feelings, Disassociation, Enemies to Lovers, Frottage, M/M, Oral Sex, Rimming, Slow Burn, Third Person Multiple, Vampires, Wet Dream, alternating pov, awkward virgins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2018-09-20 06:10:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 115,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9478943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SareBear96/pseuds/SareBear96
Summary: “If this succeeds we’ll have finally unlocked the secret to immortality. At last humans will be capable of harnessing the powers of the supernatural world. Just imagine what we could accomplish with an army of supernatural beings completely under our control?”A sick feeling settled into Izaya’s stomach as he began to suspect the doctor’s scheme. There was no way he was going to allow himself to become part of this doctor’s sick experiment.-Izaya is kidnapped and experimented on by Shinra's crazy father, Shingen. He manages to escape only to find out that he's been turned into a vampire! And not just any vampire, a SERVAMP. As if matters couldn't get any worse, Izaya finds himself forced into a contract with Shizu-chan of all people.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Monsters by Moonlight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8782141) by [tastewithouttalent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tastewithouttalent/pseuds/tastewithouttalent). 



> This fic was inspired by one of my favourite fanfic authors, tastewithouttalent. Check out their stuff, it's all amazing!

The streets of Shinjuku bustled with life despite the late hour. In fact, Izaya firmly believed Shinjuku was at its liveliest in the early hours of the morning. It was in these moments that the darkest, most _interesting_ things happened. He eyed each person he passed with equal interest, taking his time as he strolled through the familiar streets. He wondered how many of them would regret their actions tonight with the harsh light of sunrise. Perhaps they’d return to unsuspecting families, spouses with no idea about their partner’s night life. Or maybe they’d return to empty apartments, a dark and quiet room the only thing to welcome them back from the bright lights of the city. Izaya himself was in no hurry to return to _his_ empty apartment. Why would he want to do that when he could spend more time with his wonderful humans?

Briefly he wondered what the inhabitants of Ikebukuro were doing right now. As much as he claimed to love every human equally, Izaya could at least admit to himself that he had favourites. Or, should he say, favourite _places_. Ikebukuro, for instance, had a special place in his heart and if it wasn’t for a certain _beast_ he would live there permanently. Izaya felt his perpetual smirk twist into a scowl at just the thought of that protozoan. Shizu-chan couldn’t keep Izaya away from his precious Ikebukuro completely, but that didn’t stop him from trying. Izaya had been chased out of the city just that afternoon, his legs still mildly aching from the workout. The beast was getting faster, Izaya thought with a grimace, or stronger if that was even possible. It was about time he silenced the monster for good. They’d been playing this relentless game of cat and mouse for far too long.

Contemplating possible ways to kill the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro was one of his favourite pass times. Izaya knew there was an endless array of scenarios that could kill a human being. Unfortunately his poor playthings were inherently weak and it didn’t take much to stop their fragile hearts. But Shizu-chan was _not_ human and he would not be so easy to defeat. His monstrous strength was paired with monstrous stamina and it resulted in an almost impossible endurance. Izaya had made several attempts on Shizu-chan’s life over the years. Knives proved useless on his first attempt. The monster’s skin may be penetrable but the muscles underneath were as hard as steel. Hitting him with a truck proved just as fruitless, the brute just got up like it was nothing. Izaya had even resorted to guns despite his distaste for them, sending thugs to do his dirty work, but it only slowed the brute down.

It was clear that trying to pierce the beast’s organs wouldn’t work. He needed to look into other options. Perhaps drowning? No, he had yet to find a cage strong enough to hold the monster and with the added adrenaline of survival instincts Shizu-chan was likely to break through even the strongest prison. Immolation maybe? He wouldn’t be able to tie the monster to a stake surely, but if he managed to douse the beast in enough flammable liquid all it would take is a precisely thrown match-

“Oi,” a menacing voice broke into his thoughts and Izaya stopped in his tracks, just now noticing the man blocking his path. It only took a moment for his calculating mind to process the rest of his surroundings. He could see the towering shape of his apartment building just a few paces up the road. Izaya eyed the man’s work uniform and his suspicions were confirmed as he noted the familiar white ‘cleaning service’ van parked further up the street. Izaya cursed himself for letting thoughts of the protozoan distract him. Just because he wasn’t in Ikebukuro didn’t mean he shouldn’t be on alert.

Izaya plastered his usual smirk across his face, “Good evening. What would Yagiri Pharmaceuticals want with an informant at such a late hour? Or should I say Nebula now? I’m surprised the new management didn’t bother changing subordinates. I suppose good help is hard to find these days.”  
Ever since Nebula had taken over Yagiri Pharmaceuticals Izaya had been hearing whispers about shady experiments taking place. Not that that hadn’t been the case previously, but these rumours seemed far more sinister than they had been before the hostile takeover. The human trafficking seemed to lessen, but Izaya knew that was another bad omen. He didn’t believe for one moment that they had stopped their human experimentation; it just meant that they must be getting their subjects by _other means._ Unfortunately he hadn’t had a chance to look into the subject much further. He made a mental note to ask for Namie’s input once this was taken care of. Inhumane experimentation was her area of expertise after all.

The man scowled but again said nothing. Instead he reached behind himself to pull out a gun. Izaya held back a sigh, he truly hated guns. They were so impersonal, a true coward’s weapon. But despite his hatred for them, he had been around the Yakuza for enough years to easily recognise the difference between a fake and genuine firearm. So he knew at merely a glance that this gun was the real deal, but something about it was off. The barrel of the gun was too long and the muzzle was far more rounded than usual. The differences were so subtle that Izaya was sure to an amateur it would appear just like any other handgun. But Izaya was no amateur.

“Now, now, that isn’t very nice. Pointing a gun at an unarmed civilian? How shameful,” the informant shook his head with a disapproving click of his tongue. Without breaking eye contact with his opponent, Izaya’s hand effortlessly moved to the heavy weight in his pocket and in the same fluid motion he had his switchblade open and pointed at his attacker.  
“See? Now isn’t this a little more fair?” Izaya purred, his smile growing sharper. Again, the man stayed silent. He simply raised his gun with purpose and Izaya felt his heart race in anticipation for the fight. It wouldn’t be as fun as playing with Shizu-chan, of course, but these lesser fights had their own appeal. His humans were just so _interesting._

He dodged the first bullet easily, chuckling maniacally as he jumped high, noticing that the projectile wasn’t a bullet at all. So that was it. It was a tranquilizer gun. It seemed they wanted him alive. He landed smoothly behind the man and his knife was at the thug’s throat before he even had a chance to turn around.  
“How boring,” Izaya whined, “you’re going to have to do better than that if you wa-”  
A sharp pain in the back of his neck cut off his taunting. His hand snapped up to pluck out the tranquilizer dart that had planted itself deep into his neck. He stared at it in almost impressed disbelief. He should have known. These lackeys rarely ever travelled alone. His head turned towards the man’s accomplice as he casually strolled up to them. There was a smug grin plastered across his face.

Unlike his partner, he was eager to gloat to the informant, “I’m disappointed honestly. Everyone told us capturing you would be so hard, but you’re just as weak as everyone else.”  
Izaya’s smile didn’t waver, even as his head began to spin with the effects of the tranquilizer.  
“I’m sure your friend would disagree, ne? Or would you prefer I slit his throat right now? Then the two of us could have some fun,” Izaya threatened, although he could feel his grip on the knife becoming slacker. Shit. He needed to get out of there before he passed out, but his mind was going fuzzy and he couldn’t concentrate long enough to form a proper escape plan.

The accomplice laughed, completely unconcerned by Izaya’s words.  
“You can act tough all you want but we both know that tranquilizer is going to take effect soon. You should just be good and go to sleep.”  
He emphasized his words with a rough punch to Izaya’s face. Izaya didn’t even have the cognizance to dodge it at this point. He could feel his body becoming heavier with every beat of his heart. His knife clattered out of his slack hand and the last thing Izaya heard was it hitting the ground before everything went black.

********

“Kill kill kill kill kill,” Shizuo growled the usual mantra under his breath as he marched his way through the streets of Shinjuku. The crowds of pedestrians parted in fear at his arrival, leaving a wide berth around the fuming debt collector, sensing the murderous intent wafting off him. The inhabitants of Shinjuku were less accustomed to the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro, but they were familiar with the rumours. Most people knew it was risking certain death to get in the way of a blonde man in a bartender uniform, especially those in this particular area of Shinjuku. Shizuo ignored them, his attention focussed firmly on his destination. He was going to kill that flea bastard today for sure!

It had been over a week since Izaya had shown his face in Ikebukuro and Shizuo knew that he should be relieved and enjoy the peace while it lasted. But instead, he found himself becoming more and more agitated with every passing day. That slimy, bastard had to be up to something, Shizuo reasoned with himself, that’s why he couldn’t relax. Izaya hadn’t spent more than two days out of Ikebukuro since high school, despite Shizuo’s constant warnings to stay away. If the informant was finally taking his advice, then that could only mean he had something big planned. Shizuo wasn’t going to just sit around and wait for Izaya to stir shit up in his neighbourhood. 

He had almost reached the flea’s apartment building when something familiar caught his eye. He paused, bending down to pick up the switchblade lying haphazardly on the path. He’d know that damn knife anywhere, it had made him bleed more times than he could count. It was the flea’s favourite toy. A troubled feeling filled his stomach as he eyed the blade. There was no blood on the knife, but that only made him more apprehensive. The flea wouldn’t just leave this lying around and he had never known the informant to misplace things, especially not something so important to him. Something was definitely going on here and Shizuo was going to get to the bottom of it. He growled aloud, closing the knife and shoving it into his pocket, storming towards the flea’s apartment building with renewed vigor.

He almost broke Izaya’s door with the intense pounding of his fist, the only thing holding him back was the thought that the pest would definitely make him pay for the damages.  
“Open up, flea! I’m here to kill you!” he announced impatiently. After a few moments of tense silence, the door opened to reveal an irritated Namie.  
“You have to know that telling someone you’re here to kill them isn’t the way to get them to open the door, right?” she asked with an exasperated sigh. He pushed passed her effortlessly, not having the patience for Izaya’s annoying secretary. Izaya’s scent hit him hard as he stepped inside, it surrounded him almost suffocatingly, boiling his blood and making his skin prickle with familiar rage.

“Where is he?” he demanded, looking around expectantly for that infuriating smirk. Namie leant against the closed door, folding her arms and looking him over boredly.  
“He hasn’t been home in over a week. I suppose it wasn’t you that finally offed him then?” Namie explained in a disinterested tone. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned that her employer was apparently missing. Her lack of concern for the flea irked Shizuo, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He decided the woman just pissed him off in general.  
“You don’t seem worried. Shouldn’t you be calling the police or something?” Shizuo accused.  
“The last thing Izaya and I need are cops sniffing around. Besides, that fool will turn up eventually. He’s too stubborn to die,” she scoffed. Shizuo huffed in agreement, knowing firsthand how badly the flea refused to die.

“Why do you even care? I would have thought you’d be overjoyed at his disappearance,” she pointed out, still sounding like she didn’t really care about his answer.  
“I _don’t_ care,” he snarled defensively, “I hope that bastard never comes back.”  
Namie didn’t say anything but she flashed him an incredulous look. Goddammit this woman pissed him off almost as much as the flea did. Shizuo reached for the doorknob beside her and she moved smoothly aside before he could get the satisfaction of shoving her out of the way. There was no point staying here any longer if he couldn’t even beat the flea to death.  
“Tell that flea bastard that if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay missing,” Shizuo snapped as he left the apartment. He wasn’t worried because the flea would definitely be back, he told himself determinedly. The only one who was allowed to kill that bastard was him.

************

Izaya awoke to the sound of voices but as he opened his eyes, he found no one else in the room. He appeared to be in a hospital bed and was wearing a hospital gown, but Izaya knew this was no normal hospital. His hands and feet were strapped to the bed with thick leather straps. Just as he was about to struggle against the restraints, he noticed an IV in his left arm that was steadily dripping dark red liquid into his veins. The bag was almost empty but he could tell the liquid was clearly blood. However he could not find any wounds that would demand a blood transfusion. The voices continued, their conversation loud in his ears, as though they were standing right in front of him yet the room remained empty.

“The subject’s system has accepted the blood and the process is well under way. He should be showing signs of physical transformation very soon. We’ve cut off the aesthesia, so he should awaken sometime in the next few hours. We’ll be able to run further tests once he’s conscious.”  
“Excellent! Keep me posted on his progress, I want to be informed the moment he wakes up,” the overenthusiastic voice was familiar and it only took a moment for him to realise why. Ah, Shingen Kishitani. Of course Shinra’s father was behind this. Although why he wanted to kidnap Izaya was beyond him. The eccentric doctor was obsessed with supernatural creatures. He showed very little interest in human beings.  
As if hearing Izaya’s thoughts, the doctor continued gleefully, “If this succeeds we’ll have finally unlocked the secret to immortality. At last humans will be capable of harnessing the powers of the supernatural world. Just imagine what we could accomplish with an army of supernatural beings completely under our control?”

A sick feeling settled into Izaya’s stomach as he began to suspect the doctor’s scheme. There was no way he was going to allow himself to become part of this doctor’s sick experiment. He had to get out of there. He pulled firmly against the straps, not really expecting it to work, totally surprised when they snapped against his wrists and ankles as easily as paper. He stared at the broken straps disbelievingly for a few moments, deliberately ignoring the part of himself that was reminded of Shizu-chan’s outrageous strength by the action. He was nothing like that beast, clearly the straps were just bad quality or old that’s all, he told himself firmly. He ripped the IV out of his arm, prepared for the stream of blood that should have flowed from the open vein, only to be surprised again when the small wound simply healed right before his eyes. As disturbing as that new development was to Izaya, he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

He jumped out of the hospital bed and quickly located his clothes, which were thankfully hung on a coat-hanger in the cupboard beside the bed. He pulled them on roughly, unsurprised to find his pockets empty. He felt more remorse for losing his favourite switchblade than he did his phone, but he told himself that he could replace them both later. He could also worry about whatever horrible side effects the doctors’ experimentation had done to him _later_ , he reminded himself, as the doorknob crushed in his grip. He looked at the dented clump of metal in his palm skeptically, before numbly dropping it to the ground. Izaya could no longer deny that there was definitely something _wrong_ with his body. But it was certainly not the time to be freaking out, no matter how badly he wanted to. His priority now was to escape.   

He pushed the door open as gently and slowly as he could manage, trying to make as little noise as possible. The voices from earlier had stopped but that didn’t guarantee that the men were gone. Izaya would prefer not to kill anyone if he could help it, especially one of his only friend’s fathers. Shinra may be an insufferable lunatic but he was the closest thing Izaya could call a friend and he’d rather not risk their relationship. It also helped that their friendship provided access to a skilled black market doctor, so Izaya was also unwilling to risk losing such an asset unnecessarily. Never mind the fact that Izaya had never actually killed anyone before. At least, not _directly_ anyway. He couldn’t bear the thought of ending one of his beloved humans’ lives. That being said, Izaya knew he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure he made it out of here alive.

He eyed the empty hallway warily, searching intently for an exit. There was a door at the end of the hallway but he needed to pass several open doors to reach it. He had no idea how many staff he risked encountering and no way of telling if they would be armed. Izaya noted several security cameras watching the hallway. It was likely he’d be spotted soon if they hadn’t noticed him already. Izaya decided his best chance out of here would be to make a run for it and hope he’d catch enough staff off guard to rush past them. He’d become quite fast after so many years of running away from Shizu-chan, he was sure he could outrun anyone in this lab as long as he had a clear path of escape.

Nodding to himself determinedly, he made a mad dash for the door. What he didn’t expect, however, was to reach the door in a matter of seconds. The informant was so caught off guard that he didn’t even have a chance to slow down his approach before he made impact with the door. It broke under the weight of his arrival and Izaya suddenly found himself lying on top of the battered remnants of the _metal_ door. Great, _more_ side effects, he grumbled to himself in frustration. Except he was also slightly grateful to know that his speed had enhanced, perhaps getting out of here would be easier than he thought.

“D-don’t move,” a trembling voice attempted to command him. Izaya looked up to find a scrawny doctor standing over him, a gun pointed at him in shaking hands. The man had clearly never fired a gun in his life. Izaya felt a smirk twitch at the corner of his mouth, as he raised his hands in feigned surrender.  
“Get back to your room,” the man demanded, his voice more confident now that it appeared Izaya was cooperating.  
“I deeply apologize but I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m a very busy man and I have loyal clients waiting for me, you see? Perhaps your employer could schedule a proper appointment with my secretary later?” Izaya offered, his voice laced with false remorse. In the next moment Izaya lunged at the man, wrenching the gun easily from his weak grip. Izaya only had a second to savour the pure terror that flashed in the man’s eyes, before he shot a tranquiliser dart right in his adam’s apple. The man slumped to the ground limp, not even showing the resistance to fight it like Izaya had. How boring.

Izaya eyed the gun with distaste before bending it effortlessly between his hands, rendering it useless. He truly _hated_ guns, Izaya growled to himself. The informant disinterestedly dropped the twisted piece of metal beside the unconscious man. He had no use for guns, even without his newfangled super-strength and speed. In fact, he realised, he might even be enjoying these new powers a bit too much. That was until a siren suddenly blared through the laboratory, abusing his sensitive ears like an explosion. Izaya flinched at the assault, his eyes scrunching shut in pain as his hands uselessly attempted to cover his delicate eardrums. Ah, so his hearing was heightened too it seemed. That explained the voices from earlier, Izaya realised dully.

His eyes snapped open abruptly in search of the offensive speaker. He found it further up the hallway fixed high upon the wall in the corner beside another door. He darted towards it, reaching his target almost instantly, jumping to smoothly rip the speaker from the wall and silencing it with the crushing force of his fist. Izaya eyed his handiwork with approval. He had always been a high jumper, but this new agility was putting his previous capabilities to shame. Perhaps these powers weren’t so bad. Who knows, maybe he’d even come back to thank Shinra’s father? Heck he might even give him a warning before he burned this lab to the ground for thinking they could kidnap the Informant of Shinjuku with no consequences.

A maniacal chuckle slipped through his lips as he ripped the door in front of him off its hinges as if it were made of cardboard and not reinforced steel. With his improvised shield in tow, Izaya stalked down the hallway awaiting the next unfortunate souls who dared to challenge him. Adrenaline coursed through his body and his skin tingled with anticipation in a way that he usually didn’t feel outside of his fights with Shizu-chan. Except this time Izaya wasn’t running. No, this time Izaya was the one on the offensive and he had never felt so invincible. He briefly wondered if this was how Shizu-chan felt every time he used his monstrous strength.

Suddenly an idea hit him and Izaya couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face. Would this new strength be able to match Shizu-chan’s? Even if it wasn’t, with the added bonus of his speed it should be more than enough to close the gap between them. Maybe this was fate? Perhaps he’d been gifted these new powers solely for purpose of ridding the world of the beast for good. Surely there was no way Shizu-chan could defeat him with these new abilities. Izaya let his mind fill giddily with thoughts of destroying that monster with his own hands. He no longer had the need to hide behind weapons. Izaya could finally challenge Shizu-chan on equal terms.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of pounding feet heading towards him. Disappointed when he realised he couldn’t kill Shizu-chan right in that moment, Izaya decided to redirect his frustrations on the insignificant prey filling the hallway. At least a dozen guards armed with tranquiliser guns surrounded him, but Izaya simply smiled. It would be nice to test out his new abilities on easier targets before he pursued Shizu-chan anyway. He blocked the onslaught of tranquilizer darts easily with his ‘shield’, before throwing it with enough force to take down at least six of his opponents.  

Wait for me, Shizu-chan. We’ll be seeing each other real soon, Izaya silently promised.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the smell that woke Shizuo first. The familiar scent wrenched his body to consciousness easier than any sound or touch ever could. His arms moved before his sleep-addled mind could process the action, reaching towards the source of that maddening scent with muscle memory alone. He managed to restrain the flea’s wrists just before they wrapped themselves around his neck. Izaya’s skin was like ice against his palms but he resisted the impulse to let go. Shizuo trapped the bony wrists in a bruising grip, blinking blearily up at the carefree smirk of the man he hated most hovering above him. He determinedly ignored the tiny part of him that was relieved to see the bastard alive and well after almost three weeks absence. He offered a threatening growl instead.  
“Darn, I’d been hoping to maintain the element of surprise,” Izaya pouted in an exaggerated fashion, “but it seems you’re a lighter sleeper than I expected.”

Light sleeper? Anyone else would have woken up well before the bastard had a chance to get this close. Shizuo knew he was a heavy sleeper but even _he_ was surprised that the added weight of another human sitting upon his chest hadn’t roused him earlier. The flea was too damn skinny.  
“Do you have a death wish?” Shizuo snarled, releasing Izaya’s wrists so he could get a grip around the bastard’s collar instead. He dragged that infuriating smirk closer towards him so he could hiss the words in the flea’s too-smug face.   
“Don’t be ridiculous. You know the only death I wish for is yours~” Izaya purred, refusing to pull away and instead leant in even closer. Shizuo had to consciously fight the urge to flinch back from the proximity, refusing to lose the game between them.

Without the confusion of sleep clouding his judgement, Shizuo quickly noticed something was clearly off about the flea. His eyes gleamed brighter than usual, leaning closer to a deep shade of red than their typical brown, a stark contrast to the porcelain skin surrounding them. Sure the informant had always been pale, but his skin almost seemed to glow translucent in the moonlight shining from the window behind him. Shizuo had no idea how he had managed to break the locks on his window so easily, but he made a mental note to get stronger ones installed later. Even the flea’s scent was different. Curiosity got the better of him and Shizuo found himself inhaling deep, ducking to almost press his nose against the crook of the other man’s neck. Izaya froze and Shizuo would have been embarrassed at his actions had he not been totally engrossed in deciphering the change in Izaya’s scent. It was sweeter somehow but the underlying bitterness he remembered was still unmistakably present. It burned his nose like bleach and left his heart pounding with adrenaline, his body preparing for the inevitable fight to come.

He was startled from his thoughts as an impossibly cold hand settled upon his bare chest. Izaya’s palm rested against his racing heart and this time Shizuo did flinch back. His head pressed hard against his pillow as he recoiled from the foreign touch. The informant’s eyes seemed to glow even brighter than before, but he was gazing down blankly at Shizuo as if in a trance. His eyes appeared glazed over and Shizuo had never seen such a blank expression on the flea’s face before. The absence of that ever-present smirk left Shizuo feeling extremely uneasy.  
“Oi pest, stop looking at me like that,” Shizuo warned, trying not to let the discomfort show in his voice. But Izaya didn’t respond. This was even more disconcerting to Shizuo because he knew the bastard loved the sound of his own voice too much to ever pass up an opportunity to mock him.

Izaya eyed him in a way that Shizuo could only describe as ravenously and his heart began to pound for an entirely different reason. It suddenly became very hard to ignore the precarious position they were in, as if his mind was just now catching up with the fact that his enemy was literally _straddling_ him on his bed. If Shizuo were thinking clearly he would have thrown the flea onto the floor with that very realisation, but for some reason he couldn’t even find the willpower to move. It was like he was trapped in that intense gaze, unable to do anything but watch in anticipation as the informant’s face slowly leaned down towards him.

********

_Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump._

The rhythm of Shizu-chan’s heart filled his ears and Izaya thought he could almost _hear_ the rushing of blood pumping through the man’s veins. It was all he could think about, his mind was blank of everything except this overwhelming desire for… what exactly? He wasn’t really sure. All he knew was that he needed it, _right now_ , and that Shizu-chan was going to give it to him. Izaya’s eyes trailed over the man’s bare chest, dragging his eyes away from the source of his fixation, away from Shizuo’s heart, to linger upon the visible pounding of his pulse. Izaya watched mesmerised as it fluttered frantically under the taut skin of his enemy’s neck. He found himself leaning forward as if pulled by an invisible string.

Izaya had never noticed how sweet Shizu-chan smelled before. Although he wasn’t surprised considering the beast’s disgusting fondness for sugary foods. Izaya’s appetite would usually turn at the mere mention of sweets, but he was amazed to find that he felt anything but disgust as he breathed in the enticing aroma. His mouth watered and his canines began to ache painfully in his mouth as he drew closer to the throbbing of Shizuo’s pulse. His tongue flicked out, tracing precisely along the trembling vein and-

Suddenly he was thrown harshly into the wall behind him, narrowly missing being tossed through the open window. His breath was knocked out of him as his body embedded itself into the wall and it was like the spell was broken. Izaya’s wits came back to him abruptly and he blinked owlishly as his mind tried to catch up with his previous actions.  
“What the _fuck,_ Izaya?” Shizuo demanded, rubbing at his neck so furiously that Izaya was surprised he didn’t get friction burn. _What the fuck_ was exactly what Izaya would like to know, but he wasn’t going to share that piece of information with the beast. Izaya tried to disguise how unnerved he was with forced nonchalance.  
“Come on, Shizu-chan. Can’t you take a joke?” Izaya scoffed, picking himself up from the ground and brushing off pieces of dry wall from his coat and hair. He was shockingly unscathed and he put his lack of broken bones down to his new abilities.

Shizuo glared at him murderously, “You’re a real creep, you know that right? And how many times do I have to tell you? _Don’t call me that_.”  
Izaya let out a genuine laugh at the man’s persistence, as if he would ever be able to stop him. He wondered if he could bribe the funeral director into putting the nickname on the brute’s tombstone.  
“What the hell are you even doing here?” Shizuo complained before glancing at the clock beside his bed, “For fuck sakes it’s past 4am.”  
“What, do I really need a reason to visit an old friend? How mean, Shizu-chan and to think I thought you’d be happy to see me,” Izaya whined in fake indignation.  
“Cut the bullshit, I'm too tired to put up with your stupid games,” Shizuo hissed impatiently.  
“You caught me~” Izaya cackled and he threw up his hands overdramatically, “Who knew Shizu-chan could actually use that Neanderthal brain of his?”  
His smile turned razor sharp as he pointed a finger at Shizuo, as if it was his switchblade, and announced gleefully, “I’ve come to kill you, of course.”

Shizuo eyed him skeptically for a few moments before sighing heavily and tugging on a loose t-shirt.  
“You really do have a death wish. _Fine_ , let’s go outside at least. I don’t want to mess up my apartment any more than it already is. You’re _paying_ for that dent by the way,” he declared in an uncharacteristically calm manner, gesturing to the hole Izaya’s body had left in the wall.  
“Sure, sure, whatever you say. You won’t need this dingy apartment soon anyway,” Izaya agreed.  
Izaya was buzzing with excitement again. In all the confusion, he’d almost forgotten the impulse that had brought him here in the first place. Finally, the informant thought elatedly, finally, finally, finally.

He practically skipped to the door as the beast shuffled resignedly behind him.  
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Shizuo piped up, turning to his dresser and plucking something out of the top drawer. He threw it roughly in Izaya’s direction without looking up and Izaya caught it naturally. He was surprised to find the familiar weight of his switchblade against his palm and he dragged his thumb along the edge musingly.  
“Did Shizu-chan keep this safe and sound for me? You even kept it by your bedside, how sweet~” Izaya cooed, enjoying the weight of the weapon in his hand despite his confidence in no longer needing it. Shizuo avoided his eyes and Izaya could have sworn he saw the beast’s face flush.  
“Don’t be an idiot. It just wouldn’t be a fair fight without it. Look it’s even got your name on it now so you won’t lose it so easily,” Shizuo informed him, turning to face him smugly.

Curiously Izaya turned the switchblade over in his hands and quickly found what the man was referring to. Carved into the handle, in a neater design than Izaya expected from the beast, he noticed the kanji for flea: **蚤**  
“Don’t just vandalize other people’s private property, you protozoan,” Izaya snapped, pocketing the blade in frustration. How dare that idiot ruin his favourite weapon? Izaya decided he was going to carve ‘beast’ into the man’s corpse as compensation. Shizuo just smirked unapologetically as they walked towards his front door, pulling on his shoes swiftly and opening the door expectantly.  
“Well, are you coming or do I have to drag you out of my apartment myself?” he asked, looking like he hoped Izaya would decline just so that he could make good on his threat. Izaya huffed, stepping through the doorway indignantly. Shizuo stopped to lock the door behind them before they made their way to the elevator. The ride was quiet and tense. Izaya regretted not just climbing out the window the way he’d come in. No doubt it would have been faster and far less awkward that way.

It was strange having Shizuo this calm beside him. Izaya was so used to their fights breaking out spontaneously; they’d never prearranged a battle before. This weird temporary truce between them as they made their way out of the building was definitely not what he had had in mind when he’d originally sought out Shizuo’s apartment. He’d been riding high on adrenaline after his escape from the facility and before he realised it he’d ended up running all the way to Ikebukuro thanks to his new speed and stamina. Breaking into Shizuo’s apartment had been child’s play and pouncing upon the sleeping beast had been even easier. He only regretted that he hadn’t wrapped his hands around Shizu-chan’s neck sooner. If he’d at least managed that then he was sure the beast wouldn’t have been able to pry his hands away in time.

“Alright, this should be okay now,” Shizuo said as they made it onto the street, “You ready?”  
Izaya sneered at him, “Of course. How _considerate_ of you, Shizu-chan. I had no idea you could be this accommodating. I’m impressed!”  
With a final roll of his eyes, Shizuo’s calm demeanour disappeared. It was like a switch had been flipped and all of a sudden he was faced with the unruly Shizu-chan he always knew. The brute picked up his building’s vending machine easily and hurled it towards Izaya.  
“Just _die already_ , bastard!”

This part was familiar at least and Izaya almost turned to flee from years of practised reflex. Instead he forced himself to stand firm, facing the beast’s attack head on. Izaya watched in satisfaction as Shizuo’s eyes widened in shock when he realised Izaya wasn’t going to dodge the deadly projectile. His eyes flickered unexpectedly with an emotion akin to concern for a brief second. Unfortunately, Izaya didn’t have the privilege of watching Shizuo’s face twist into shock as he effortlessly caught the vending machine mid-flight. His hands dug easily into the metal, imprinting the shape of his palms into the corners of the machine, stopping its journey inches before it made impact with his face. He did, however, have the pleasure of enjoying the dumbfounded look plastered upon the protozoan’s face as he lifted the vending machine above his head. He savoured it for a few moments before he threw the machine back at the man with as much force as it had been dealt. 

Shizuo didn’t have enough time to process the wild turn of events before the vending machine came crashing down on him. The wind was audibly knocked out of him as he was unceremoniously slammed into the ground. _How do you like that, you monster? Not so nice getting hit by flying projectiles, now is it?_ Izaya leisurely strolled towards Shizuo’s crumpled form, cackling wildly, before bending down in front of the blonde to whisper false tenderness in his ear.  
“See? I can be unpredictable too. Shizu-chan isn’t the only one with outrageous strength anymore.”  
The snarl that ripped itself out of Shizuo’s throat in reply was inhuman. The shock had seemed to wear off, as he pulled himself to his feet, simply shrugging the weight of the vending machine off. Izaya danced back with practised ease, an unconcerned smirk across his face. He hadn’t expected that to stop the beast for long. Izaya was just getting started.

“What the hell did you _do_?” Shizuo demanded furiously.  
“Now why would you assume I did this, Shizu-chan? Believe it or not I’m the _victim_ here. You think I wanted to be made comparable to a monster like you?” Izaya claimed with exaggerated outrage. He lunged at Shizuo with his newfound speed, throwing a punch at the beast that he didn’t have any hope of dodging. Despite his enhanced strength, Izaya’s knuckles still fractured at the steel-like resistance of Shizuo’s jaw. Izaya winced, pulling his fist back to cradle the tender limb in his other hand. He watched in fascination as the throbbing in his fist quickly faded, however, while his bones knitted themselves back together. He grinned, stretching his fingers experimentally, before throwing another punch without hesitation for the inevitable pain to come. This one landed in Shizuo’s abdomen, his impenetrable stomach muscles causing as much damage to his fist as his jaw had. But Izaya didn’t even flinch this time knowing it would heal soon enough anyway. He actually found himself relishing in the pain at the thought that it was causing Shizuo harm in return.

Shizuo wasn’t used to evasion. He’d always preferred to block any attacks with that unbreakable body of his. He didn’t have any of the finesse or skill that Izaya had perfected over the years. It took a few more blows before the brute apparently realised he’d need to switch to the defensive. He blocked the next attack to his face with his left forearm and swung at Izaya with his right. Unlike the protozoan, Izaya was well acquainted with the act of dodging. He effortlessly ducked away from the deadly blow, the wind from the force of Shizuo’s fist ruffling his hair. He retaliated with a swift kick to Shizuo’s chest, knocking the man off his feet and landing on the ground with an _Oof._ Izaya towered over the blonde, pressing his foot hard into the man’s chest.

“Come on, Shizu-chan. Don’t tell me you’re going to go down so easily? After all these years are you really going to make our last fight so _boring?_ ” Izaya complained, although he honestly hadn’t had this much fun in years. Shizuo was breathing heavily under his foot, looking up at Izaya with absolute loathing. Blood dripped down his chin from his split lip and for one inexplicable moment Izaya found himself wanting to bend down and lick it clean. His mind started to veer towards fuzziness again and his body began drifting forward without his permission. Shizuo readily took advantage of his distraction, grabbing the informant by the ankle and tossing him into a nearby lamppost. The metal bent under his back but otherwise the lamp remained remarkably intact, albeit far more crooked than usual.

Thankfully the impact seemed to knock him back to his senses and Izaya regained his bearings just in time to narrowly escape a direct blow from the beast’s fist. It made contact with the pole of the street furniture just beside Izaya’s head instead and he watched as the unfortunate lamppost finally succumbed to the rough treatment. It came crashing loudly down to the ground in a pile of glass and debris. Izaya was surprised the ruckus didn’t rouse the neighbours, though he supposed all of Shizu-chan’s neighbours would be used to this kind of chaos. Or perhaps they just knew better than to risk getting involved, lest they find themselves in the way of one of the brute’s various improvised weapons. An idea occurred to him and Izaya smirked dangerously as he snatched the battered lamppost from the ground. He violently swung it towards Shizuo like a baseball bat, aiming towards the man’s head.

Yet much to Izaya’s dismay, the blonde managed to catch the improvised bat in his monstrous grip before it made contact. Shizuo ripped the post from Izaya’s hands, flinging it back towards him like a javelin. Izaya jumped high, his parkour skills helping him to avoid being impaled, landing on the windowsill of one of Shizu-chan’s unlucky neighbours. It seemed the brute was still stronger than him, despite his new strength. Tch, Shizu-chan really _was_ a monster. Perhaps challenging the beast to a fist fight wasn’t the smartest course of action. Maybe he should just call it a night and head back to his apartment. He wasn’t running away, he told himself firmly, he was just making a strategic exit in order to properly form a better plan of attack. With the decision made, Izaya turned to make a swift escape. Outrunning Shizu-chan would be a synch with his new speed.  
“Just where do you think you’re going, Flea?” Shizuo roared behind him but the next course of events caught both of them off-guard.

A blinding flash of blue light erupted seemingly out of nowhere, surrounding Shizuo’s left wrist and Izaya’s neck each with two separate luminescent rings. Another large glowing circle appeared on the ground beneath them, encircling them in a tornado of blasting sparks made up of the same striking light. The circles around Shizuo’s wrist and Izaya’s neck slowly started drawing closer, both becoming smaller and smaller until Izaya had a true moment of panic where he believed he was going to be beheaded. Thankfully before they could reach his skin a sound similar to a bell chimed and the circles vanished just as suddenly as they had appeared, wafting through the air like smoke before disappearing altogether.

It was silent for a while as Shizuo and Izaya just stared wide-eyed at each other, both trying to make sense of what just happened. Naturally Shizuo’s patience broke first.  
“What the fuck _was_ that, Flea?” Shizuo demanded, glaring up at Izaya suspiciously.  
“How the hell should I know?” Izaya snapped, his fingers worrying at his neck.  
“How can you _not_ fucking know?” Shizuo boomed, marching towards Izaya like he planned on dragging him forcefully down from his perch. Izaya was entirely exhausted with this whole situation. This night had been just too weird and all he wanted was to go home already.  
“Well I’m bored with this now,” Izaya announced indifferently, “See you around, Shizu-chan~”

Izaya leapt from his position on the windowsill, aiming for the rooftop, only to find himself wrenched forcefully down by a harsh tugging at his neck. He noticed the reappearance of the blue light as he fell. The blue light formed another ring around his neck, but this time he noticed that it appeared to be connected to the ring around Shizuo’s wrist. Izaya hit the ground with a thump beside Shizuo, groaning in annoyance as he rubbed his head more in habit than in actual pain, and the light disappeared once again. Izaya ignored the stirrings of panic that began clawing their way inside his stomach. He attempted another getaway but only managed to travel a few metres before he was stopped once again by the same restraint. The informant tugged desperately at the mystical cord but it was like he was a dog on a leash. _No way._  
Shizuo’s confused expression abruptly morphed into a menacing grin and Izaya felt his smirk falter.  
“Looks like you can’t run away anymore, I-za-ya-kun~,” he crooned in that foreboding lilting tone.

********

Shizuo had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on with the flea or what that creepy lightshow had been about. What he _did_ know was that he wasn’t going to let this golden opportunity pass. For once the flea couldn’t _flee_. All those years of endless chasing, of always being just a few too many steps behind, were over. He was _finally_ about to kill Izaya. His heart hammered in his chest as he unhurriedly stalked towards his trapped prey, savouring the moment. He could see Izaya’s ever-present mask slipping, the suggestion of true fear gracing his features in a way that Shizuo had never seen before. It almost gave him pause, an unfamiliar feeling of hesitation beginning to work its way into his rage-filled mind. But then Izaya’s mask slipped back into place, his crimson eyes staring unwaveringly into Shizuo’s gaze.  
“Do it, monster.”

Shizuo’s doubts disappeared as quickly as they’d surfaced. His fist connected harshly with the flea’s face and he both heard and _felt_ the crush of bone give way against his fist. Izaya was thrown back several feet at the force of the blow and his body hit the pavement so hard it cracked under the impact. Shizuo felt his chest tighten in a weird way as he looked down at the crumpled form of his archenemy. Yet before he could decipher the feeling as something absurdly close to regret, he noticed the figure pulling himself to his feet. Izaya spat a combination of blood and teeth onto the ground before turning towards him. Shizuo expected to see a bloody mess where a face used to be, an eye swollen shut and skin littered with nasty bruises at the very least. What he _didn’t_ expect was to see the flea’s unfaltering smirk greet him as pristine as ever. No he wasn’t exactly undamaged, Shizuo had to correct himself, as he watched the sunken bone underneath Izaya’s cheek reshape itself before his very eyes.

“Nice try, Shizu-chan. But you’re going to have to do better than that~” Izaya teased, his laugh verging on psychotic and he faced Shizuo defiantly. Shizuo saw red. He threw punch after punch, each one hitting their mark with the sickening crunch of shattering bone. But the flea didn’t even bother dodging anymore, welcoming each blow like a hug from a friend. All the while that maddening smirk never once left his face. He squeezed his hands tightly around the flea’s neck until any normal human being’s face would have turned blue, but nothing could wipe away that frustrating grin. That didn’t stop Shizuo from trying until his arms grew tired and his movements became sluggish.  
“Tired already, Shizu-chan?” the bastard cackled, “but we were having so much fun~”  
“Shut the fuck up, Flea,” Shizuo hissed between panting breaths. To his surprise, Izaya’s mouth suddenly snapped shut. The informant’s eyes widened momentarily and Shizuo was satisfied as that stupid grin _finally_ fell from his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Izaya was speechless and not in the metaphorical sense. No, he was _literally_ incapable of speech. Every time he tried, whether to provide a witty retort, scathing remark or even just a groan of annoyance, his mouth stayed infuriatingly shut. It wasn’t just that his lips were sealed either, it was as if his voice had been taken away entirely. He couldn’t even drag a muffled cry of frustration from his throat. For fucks sakes, how many more hardships were he expected to face tonight? This was just getting ridiculous. Izaya had had just about enough.

Shizuo frowned at him curiously, but he didn’t voice any concern at Izaya’s abnormally long silence. Izaya was both relieved and frustrated by this. He hated the idea of the monster being able to so easily read him, but he also needed the issue to be vocalised by the brute since he clearly couldn’t do it himself. Izaya regretted not including sign language as one of the many languages he’d added to his repertoire over the years. Shizu-chan wouldn’t have been able to understand him, of course, but at least it would have been _something._ He resigned himself to merely flipping him off instead. To his satisfaction, any confusion that had been lingering on Shizuo’s face vanished and he lunged at Izaya once again. Izaya prided himself in always being able to push Shizuo’s buttons. If Shizuo was a raging bull, then Izaya was the matador constantly waving a red sheet in front of the beast’s face.

Just as Izaya had expected, Shizuo was running out of stamina. His attacks were delayed and the force behind them had weakened almost to that of a normal human being. As soon as he’d realised Shizuo’s blows couldn’t harbour any lasting effects to his renewed body, Izaya knew all he had to do was wait for the right opening. Shizu-chan was way too impulsive, always rushing in without thinking things through. Izaya preferred strategy, always calculating his next move carefully. The beast was bound to wear himself out soon enough and Izaya would be there to take advantage of it when he did. It had taken shockingly less time than he expected, Izaya noted, as he watched the first few rays of sunrise make their way over the horizon. He had been prepared to withstand Shizuo’s blows for several hours, considering many of their chases had lasted about that long before. He supposed the brute _had_ been prematurely woken before he could manage a proper night’s sleep and Izaya had also managed to get a few good hits in earlier. But still, he was almost disappointed in how easy this would be.

As the sky began to pale with the rapidly approaching sun, Izaya decided it was time he made his move. He casually dodged Shizuo’s next blow for the first time in over an hour and Shizuo’s face fell into surprise as his fist hit air. Before the protozoan’s tiny brain had a chance to catch up to the situation, Izaya struck. He swung his switchblade at Shizuo’s jugular with such force he was confident the blade would penetrate that seemingly invulnerable neck of his. With the added benefit of his increased speed, Izaya knew it would all be over in a matter of seconds. Time slowed, allowing him to fully savour the moment. Izaya made sure he had a clear view of Shizu-chan’s eyes, so he could properly watch the precise second the light faded from them forever. He prepared himself for the sensation of Shizuo’s warm blood rushing over his hand as it flowed from the severed artery. The thought alone brought an unexpected shudder up his spine and his own blood boiled in anticipation.

But, of course, things could never go so smoothly when the beast was concerned and it seemed the night still had one more cruel joke in store for Izaya. For just as his knife was about to make contact with Shizuo’s neck, a cloud of smoke suddenly obscured Izaya’s vision. The comforting weight of his switchblade disappeared from his palm and Izaya felt himself fall to the ground, his palms and feet flat against the sidewalk. He could feel the rough surface of the street against his bare feet and briefly wondered where his shoes had gone. But the smoke cleared and all thoughts of his missing shoes vanished. He stared in disbelief at the world around him. It was like he’d been dropped into another dimension. It was still clearly Ikebukuro, he could recognise that the scenery around him remained the same, except it appeared to have grown ten times in size. The buildings towered above him the size of skyscrapers and the cars parked on the street were like tanks. Most terrifying of all, however, was the looming figure of his archenemy blinking down at him owlishly.

They simply stared at each other for a few tense moments, Izaya expecting the giant to realise he now had the upper hand and attack at any second. However instead of erupting in a fit of rage like he had expected, when Shizuo eventually did react, the other man erupted in _laughter_ instead. Izaya had never heard Shizuo really laugh before, save for the rare humourless chuckle he’d let out after getting a particularly good hit on Izaya. But those were nothing compared to the full body shakes that encompassed Shizuo right now. He held his stomach tightly and there were tears forming in the corners of his eyes.  
“You look ridiculous! Oh my god, look how tiny you are! I could just _crush_ you,” Shizuo gasped between fits of laughter.

Izaya was mortified, but he refused to let Shizuo’s reaction affect him. This was clearly just another absurd side effect of the doctor’s experimentation. He swore the next time he saw Shingen Kishitani he was going to kill him for sure. To hell with Shinra, neither his friendship _nor_ his medical expertise was worth _this_. He opened his mouth to hiss a sharp retort at the damn protozoan, relieved to find he finally _could_ , only to have a literal animalistic hiss escape his throat instead.  
“Awww the little kitty thinks he’s tough,” Shizuo snickered. Wait, what did the brute mean by _kitty?_  
Izaya looked down at his body, horrified to find his torso covered in black fur. He raised his arms to touch it, only to find the appendages that followed his movements weren’t _his_ arms. There were paws where his hands should be with plump beans of skin covering his palms. He dared not look behind him, terrified of what he might find, but couldn’t help but notice the presence of a limb that had _definitely_ not been there before.

Izaya’s mind desperately tried to make sense of the facts, refusing to believe the ludicrous conclusion that kept forming in his mind. He couldn’t _really_ have transformed into a cat, right? That was ridiculous! He tried to speak again but no noise escaped, not even the meow he had dreaded. It seemed his voice was as useless at it had been before, despite being able to open his mouth again. Shizuo suddenly bent down and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before Izaya could even consider fleeing. He found himself suspended in the air not by the hood of his jacket, as was usually the case, but by his actual skin. He felt the undeniable stretch at the nape of his neck, but was shocked to find it didn’t actually hurt.  
“Look I’m not sure what’s going on with you, Flea, and frankly I don’t think I want to know at this point. But luckily for you I’m not really into animal abuse, so I’ll let you off easy this time,” Shizuo announced in a relatively calm voice, his will to fight visibly disappearing. And with that, he roughly dropped Izaya to the ground who, of course, landed delicately on his feet. Shizuo turned around, determinedly stomping his way back towards his apartment building.

********

A tugging at Shizuo’s wrist drew his attention and he noticed that the weird glowing bracelet of light was back around his left wrist. Dammit, he’d almost forgotten about it in the confusion of Izaya’s sudden transformation. He glanced back at the black cat he’d abandoned on the asphalt, watching the small animal struggle furiously against the restraint around its neck, as it was dragged forward with every step Shizuo took. He sighed, heading back towards the feline and reached for him resignedly. But as his arm drew close, Izaya swiped at him with sharp claws that embedded themselves into his skin, leaving long red welts in their path. He hissed in discomfort, snatching his arm back and scowling at the little bastard.

Shizuo wasn’t sure if this Izaya could even still understand him but he tried anyway.  
“Oi I wasn’t gonna fucking hurt you, you damn flea! I was just going to take you with me since this freaky light thing apparently won’t let me leave you behind,” Shizuo snarled angrily. Izaya’s tiny body puffed up in defiance, his fur standing on end, hissing at the other man viciously in response.  
“Fine, suit yourself,” Shizuo huffed in frustration. He walked all the way back to the elevator, determinedly ignoring the constant jerking at his left wrist, as the flea continued in his feeble attempts at escaping the unbreakable link between them.

When he entered the elevator he looked towards the cat expectantly, who eyed the doorway warily.  
“Don’t tell me you wanna test what’ll happen if you try to stay down here? Wait actually it’d solve a lot of my problems if you got yourself hung to death, so please go ahead,” Shizuo chuckled darkly.  
Izaya flashed him a dirty look, which wasn’t nearly as intimidating coming from a cat as Izaya probably intended it to be, before reluctantly getting into the elevator with him. The ride back to his apartment felt a lot shorter than it had going down earlier, probably because the awkward tension from earlier no longer hung in the air. He just couldn’t feel the same tension around a cat as he had with human Izaya, the underlying danger that the informant usually radiated was entirely gone.

Shizuo tried not to think about how totally bizarre this entire situation was. How do you even begin to explain this to someone? He felt like even Celty would have a hard time believing this and _she_ was a headless woman who rode around on an equally headless horse that was constantly disguised as a motorcycle! The unexpected appearance of Izaya’s super strength and speed had been one thing. But with the addition of the strange lightshow earlier and now _this,_ he stared incredulously at the cat next to him unable to believe it was his nemesis. Shizuo found it was all a bit too much for him to handle.

He just wanted to go back to sleep. Shizuo had work in a few hours and he’d hardly managed four hours before that bastard had shown up. Unlocking his door eagerly, he barely waited for the flea to squirm his way through the gap before shutting it behind him. Making a beeline for his bedroom, he collapsed face first onto the mattress exhaustedly. Before allowing exhaustion to overwhelm him, he reluctantly lifted his head to glance at the small shadow hovering unsurely in his doorway.  
“What is it? I _know_ you don’t want to be here. I don’t want you here either, but you obviously can’t leave until we figure out how to get rid of that cord,” Shizuo told him exasperatedly. Izaya continued to eye him wearily, as if expecting him to attack the minute he let his guard down.  
“Look I told you I’m not gonna fight ya while you’re like that. Just go to sleep, that’s what I plan on doing whether you decide to sit in my doorway all morning or not,” Shizuo informed him, settling back down onto his pillow and closing his eyes firmly. Usually he wouldn’t have felt safe falling asleep in front of Izaya, but he just couldn’t muster the same level of caution for a cat. 

********

The shrill ringing of Shizuo’s alarm clock jerked him back to consciousness from its place atop his wardrobe on the other side of the room. He’d started placing it out of arm’s reach after he’d smashed to bits the sixth one in a row. As grateful as he was to not have to buy any more alarm clocks, he really wished he didn’t have to tolerate the horrible noise while he dragged himself out of bed. But he supposed it was as good motivation to get out of bed as any. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he looked around the room carefully. There was no sign of the flea, human or otherwise.  
“What a weird fucking dream,” he grumbled aloud, trying to push the entire memory from his mind as he made his way to the kitchen.

Unfortunately it was after he’d finished making breakfast, heading towards his couch to eat at his coffee table, that he noticed the tiny ball of black fur curled upon one of his couch cushions. _Fuck_. He eyed the sleeping cat uncertainly, without the unnaturally intelligent glow behind those red eyes it looked just like any ordinary cat. Hell he was even kinda cute, Shizuo had to admit, tentatively scratching behind the ear closest to him. It flicked a few times in response but he didn’t wake. Encouraged, Shizuo tried scratching a little harder and was startled when the informant began to purr softly at the attention. This should have felt weird but instead Shizuo found he was enjoying himself. It wasn’t very often he got the chance to pet a cute animal, always worried about accidentally being too rough. But he didn’t have to worry about that with the flea, since he’d definitely deserve any accidental injuries he incurred.

Eventually Shizuo managed to draw his hand back disappointedly, knowing he shouldn’t risk waking the flea up any further. A sleeping Izaya couldn’t bother him, after all. Shizuo ended up eating his breakfast leant over his kitchen bench, afraid that sitting on the couch might rouse the dozing informant. He went about the rest of his morning routine completely undisturbed. It wasn’t until just before he had to leave for work that, now dressed in his trademark bartender uniform and sunglasses, Shizuo realised he couldn’t put it off any longer. He took one last wistful look at the peaceful form, knowing he wouldn’t be anywhere near as cute when he woke up, before shoving at him as gently as he could manage.  

“Oi Flea, wake up,” Izaya’s eyes flicked open immediately, although his gaze still appeared groggy. The small cat blinked up at Shizuo in confusion before taking an inquiring look at his surroundings. He saw the instant the flea’s mind caught up with the situation because tension returned to his body rapidly. The cat’s eyes narrowed at Shizuo suspiciously and he backed towards the furthest edge of the couch possible from the debt collector.

“Come on, I gotta get to work and unfortunately that means you have to come with me,” Shizuo informed him impatiently. He walked towards the door, throwing a brief glance behind him to make sure the flea was coming noting that the cat was indeed following him begrudgingly. Good, at least the flea wasn’t being difficult this time. However by the time he reached the elevator, the bracelet had returned to his wrist and he looked back at the cat in annoyance. Izaya trailed behind him a few metre’s back, his little legs moving unsurely as if he weren’t used to walking on all fours quite yet.  
“Hurry up or I really will leave without you this time,” Shizuo warned the flea. Izaya threw him a glare but managed to quicken his pace enough to make it to the elevator in time, despite his clumsy efforts at coordinating his front and back legs.

But by the time he made it outside the building to the street, Shizuo had lost his short patience. Part of him was tempted to just continue, happy to let Izaya be dragged the entire way. But as he watched the tiny creature fight helplessly against the pull of the inescapable leash, Shizuo couldn’t help but pity him. It was only because he had a soft spot for animals, Shizuo told himself firmly, as he walked back. He gently scooped Izaya into his arms, holding him by his torso this time instead of by the back of his neck. Izaya immediately struggled in his arms but Shizuo tightened his grip around the flea’s tiny ribcage threateningly. Izaya froze, knowing he could be easily crushed if Shizuo willed it. Satisfied enough with the flea’s apparent complacency, he perched the cat upon his shoulder.  
“If you even _try_ scratching me again I won’t hesitate to drop you and drag your ass around the entire day, you understand?” Shizuo growled a warning.

Of course he can’t reply he’s a cat, Idiot, Shizuo chastised himself and his inner voice sounded alarmingly like Izaya for a moment. Shizuo frowned in annoyance at the real Izaya, his stare daring the flea to try something. But the cat didn’t attempt to claw his eyes out so he took that as enough confirmation.  
“Good kitty,” Shizuo replied, tapping Izaya’s head condescendingly. He both heard and felt the displeased growl that ran through Izaya, but it merely made him chuckle. He could get used to having the flea like this, Shizuo mused. The most annoying thing about Izaya was definitely the fact that he usually never shut up. On top of that, everything that left that bastard’s mouth was bullshit. But maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, at least if he had to be stuck with the bastard indefinitely then he was glad the flea couldn’t talk.

********

Izaya was livid. The only reason he didn’t attack Shizuo was because he knew he’d likely lose in his current state. He had no weapons except his sharp claws and teeth and he knew those alone wouldn’t be enough to break through Shizuo’s steel-like physique. His agility, as well as his enhanced speed and strength, were also hindered in this form and he knew it would be unwise to assume he could still heal rapidly like this. Shizuo might tolerate him for now, but he knew Shizuo would change his mind in an instant if he tried to push his luck.

He had never felt so humiliated, Izaya thought bitterly, as he clung to the beast’s shoulder. His beloved humans glanced in their direction as they made their way through the streets of Ikebukuro. The odd sight of a full grown cat perched upon a man’s shoulder clearly drew attention, but no one dared to stare for very long once they recognised the blonde man. But Izaya was relieved by this, not wanting his dear humans to see him in such a sorry state. As soon as he figured out how to free himself from Shizu-chan and that blasted restraint, Izaya vowed to hunt down Shingen Kishitani and _force_ the doctor to fix him. Although he still wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to speak again, let alone turn back into a human being. Fear twisted his guts at the thought of being trapped as a cat for the rest of his life. Worst of all, he’d be forced to spend it with his worst enemy. Would Shizu-chan start treating Izaya like a normal cat eventually, forgetting Izaya was ever human to begin with? Like hell he was going to let that happen. He would rather die than become that beast’s _pet_.

The debt collector then had the _audacity_ to light a cigarette right next to Izaya’s face. He scrunched up his nose in distaste, digging his claws deep into Shizuo’s skin in way of complaint. But the other man didn’t even flinch at the contact and Izaya wondered if his outrageous pain tolerance even registered the puncture wounds. Shizuo sighed deeply, a thick cloud of smoke escaping his mouth, and Izaya felt the tension in Shizuo’s shoulder beneath him ease, in spite of the claws still piercing their way through his skin. Izaya decided to vocalise his annoyance in the only way he knew how. He hissed loudly, his body tensing in instinct at the action. _Don’t you blow that disgusting stuff so close to my face, Protozoan. Not everyone wants to poison their lungs with those foul cancer sticks you adore._

Frustratingly Shizuo remained relaxed as he refused to take the bait, side-eying him indifferently.  
“You can whine all you want, Flea, but I’m not gonna stop smoking just because you don’t like it,” Shizuo announced calmly. However, the next time Shizuo exhaled he noticed the man made an effort to turn his head towards his other shoulder to blow the smoke in the opposite direction. Izaya hated Shizuo, but he absolutely _loathed_ this complacent version of him more. Where had all this patience come from? He wanted the regular Shizu-chan back, the one he could make snap a cigarette in half just at the mere sight of him. This Shizu-chan was no fun at all.

“By the way if you do anything weird in front of Tom-senpai or Vorona, I’ll crush that tiny skull with one hand, got it?” Shizuo warned and Izaya realised they were standing outside Shizuo’s workplace. Izaya held back the urge to roll his eyes. _As if I’d want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself, you stupid beast._  
“Don’t look at me like I’m an idiot,” Shizuo growled, “did you forget the position you’re in, Flea?”  
Izaya was surprised at how accurately the other man could read his thoughts. It was almost creepy actually and entirely unfair. Izaya could never tell what the other man was thinking. The fact had always bruised Izaya’s ego, since the informant prided himself in being able to read the human mind like an open book. Well Shizu-chan wasn’t human so it was only natural, he supposed. And Izaya had zero interest in the simple workings of a beast’s mind.  
“Just behave for once in your despicable life and I won’t have to end it. Even I would feel kinda bad about killing someone while he’s so helpless, even if he was a bastard that definitely deserved it,” Shizuo admitted. He didn’t bother waiting for Izaya’s reply, not that he was even capable of giving one anyway, before making his way through the door.

“Morning Shizuo,” Tom greeted Shizuo casually, before his eyes landed on Izaya and his eyebrows rose high in surprise. Izaya felt himself tense under the dreadlocked man’s inspection, but otherwise didn’t move to acknowledge him.  
“Um so what’s with the cat, man?” Tom asked carefully. Shizuo shrugged and Izaya struggled to maintain his footing for a moment.  
“It’s just a mangy stray,” Shizuo said simply. Izaya growled warningly at the comment but the man just chuckled again in response. Tom watched the interaction, becoming more confused by the second.  
“Okay but why’d you bring it to work with you?” Tom pressed cautiously.  
“Because the bastard’s a clingy fucker and won’t leave me alone,” Shizuo replied, glaring at Izaya and the cat glared right back.

“Oh…kay,” Tom drew out the word unnecessarily, “well as long as he doesn’t get in the way I guess it’s okay. Aren’t you worried about it getting hurt though? Our job isn’t exactly the safest.”  
“Nah. He can take care of himself, right Flea?” Shizuo said confidently.  
“Flea?” Tom asked in clear surprise, “As in…?”  
The man trailed off but Izaya knew what he’d been about to say, ‘Flea as in _Izaya Orihara_?’. He probably wondered why Shizuo would name a cat after his sworn enemy.  
“As in he’s a flea-infested bastard, obviously,” Shizuo deflected, the first signs of irritation beginning to cross his features. Tom immediately backed off, clearly used to dealing with Shizuo’s short temper for many years.  
“Of course. We should probably get going. The boss already gave me the list of clients we gotta visit today and I texted Vorona the first address, she said she’s gonna meet us there.”


	4. Chapter 4

Vorona greeted them as they arrived outside the first client’s apartment. Her eyes landed upon Izaya with an unimpressed frown.  
“I do not understand. It is unusual for Shizuo-senpai to have a feline accompanying him. I was not aware that you possessed any pets.” She was eyeing Izaya with a suspicious gaze, but her face remained as neutral as it ever did. Izaya narrowed his eyes back at her intently, but to Shizuo’s relief the black cat didn’t react otherwise.  
“I don’t,” Shizuo said simply, his firm tone of voice broadcasting that he wasn’t willing to elaborate any further. He’d had enough of answering questions after his brief interrogation from Tom that morning and he didn’t want to talk about the damn flea anymore. Vorona’s blank expression didn’t change at the imminent threat of Shizuo’s temper. Thankfully Tom interrupted them before she could press the subject any further.  
“Come on. We’re not getting paid to stand around, you know? We’ve got a job to do.”

Tom attempted knocking on the apartment door first, but after a few minutes with no answer he sighed and looked to Shizuo expectantly. The blonde kicked the door, the stomp of his foot against the wood tearing it cleanly off its hinges in one fell swoop. The action took so little effort that Izaya didn’t even jostle on his perch. They caught sight of the client, a robust middle aged man with a balding head, in the middle of attempting to escape from his apartment. Shizuo was already rushing towards him, grabbing him by the collar before the bastard had even managed one leg out of his window. He jerked him back and dropped the man roughly onto the wooden floorboards. The man stared up at Shizuo in wide-eyed terror, but his fear quickly transformed into confusion as he noticed the black cat sitting on his shoulder.  

“From the way you reacted just now, I’m going to assume you know why we’re here,” Tom began calmly. His body language was the complete opposite of Shizuo’s as he patiently strolled up to stand in front of the cowering man.  
“L-look, I don’t have the money right now. I’ll have it by next week. I promise!” the man begged.  
“I’m afraid my employer isn’t exactly a patient man. Besides, the deal you agreed upon was that you’d pay the money back _this_ week, not next week. It just wouldn’t be good business sense if we allowed every client to go back on their word. You understand right?” Tom coolly explained. Vorona moved to stand beside Tom as he spoke, so that he was flanked on both sides by the menacing blondes.  
“It would be wise to simply surrender the money now before any unnecessary harm comes to you,” Vorona stated matter-of-factly.  
“Yeah. Don’t be stupid and make me hurt you because I really hate violence, okay?” Shizuo added.

“P-please, I honestly don’t have the money. I swear!” The pathetic man began to sniffle. Shizuo growled in frustration, he was goddamn sick of hearing the same excuses over and over. Why did these idiots borrow money in the first place if they knew they couldn’t pay it back?  
Tom sighed disappointedly because, like Shizuo, he genuinely hated when things had to get violent.  
“That’s a real shame,” Tom said simply, looking to Shizuo meaningfully, “you know what to do.”  
Tom and Vorona took a healthy step back as Shizuo bent to loom over the man ominously.  
“I _told_ you I hate violence! I’m gonna make you pay for forcing me to do this,” Shizuo informed him. He felt Izaya shift uneasily on his shoulder and he realised the flea might be reconsidering the safety of his position. Just as he’d thought that, the flea decided to jump smoothly off Shizuo’s shoulder to land beside the cowering man. Izaya didn’t even bother to glance up at the poor, unfortunate soul as he did so. He simply turned to trot his way towards Tom and Vorona, but before he’d even managed two steps the man desperately snatched the cat.

“D-don’t hurt me or your cat gets it!” The man warned wildly, gripping the feline to his chest tightly. His hand was wrapped around Izaya’s tiny neck, as if threatening to snap it if Shizuo moved any closer. Geez, what an idiot.  
“Go ahead,” Shizuo told him with a carefree grin, “it’d make my life a hell of a lot easier if you did.”  
“Shizuo-” Tom began in a concerned voice but he was interrupted by a loud growling coming from Izaya. The cat started to squirm in the man’s arms, causing his grip on Izaya’s neck to slip. His hand slipped in front of Izaya’s face and he took the opportunity to savagely bury his razor sharp teeth into the man’s hand. The man cried out in pain, snatching his hand away from the cat to cradle it in shock. But the man’s torment was nowhere near over. Izaya was still clearly pissed at being made a bargaining chip. He lunged at the man, landing on his chest, to swipe a claw deep across his face.

Shizuo watched in approval as the flea went on to do his dirty work for him, clawing repeatedly at the man in a frenzy of rage. It looked like the flea had worked up quite a bit of anger, which he supposed was understandable considering what he was currently going through. Shizuo was just glad this man was the one on the receiving end of Izaya’s rage this time instead of him.  
“Okay, okay! I’ll pay up, just please get this thing off me!” The man sobbed frantically. Shizuo grinned in satisfaction, easily plucking the cat from the bleeding man’s chest to place him back upon his shoulder. Izaya was still breathing heavily and his fur was puffed up in tension, but he didn’t make any moves to attack Shizuo. His tail was standing on end and it was entirely fluffed up along with the rest of his fur. Shizuo couldn’t help but smirk, thinking that the flea looked particularly cute all ruffled up like this. He was like a little ball of fluff and Shizuo resisted the urge to pat the fur down, knowing Izaya would most definitely bite him too if he tried.

The man shakily fumbled for his wallet and Tom stepped forward to collect the bills from him appreciatively. The trio then made their way out of the apartment, leaving the crying man to tend to his wounds alone. Serves him right, Shizuo thought with a hint of satisfaction. It wasn’t like he cared about Izaya’s wellbeing, but going after a ‘defenceless’ animal was just plain low.  
“Huh, you were right Shizuo. Maybe having that cat around isn’t such a bad thing after all,” Tom noted, with a bemused chuckle. Vorona didn’t express any outward reaction but she was eyeing Izaya with appraisal now rather than suspicion, so Shizuo assumed she also approved of Izaya’s handiwork.  
“Well don’t get used to it. I’m getting rid of him as soon as possible,” Shizuo notified them firmly.  
“That’s a pity, it looks like you two get along pretty well,” Tom noted.  
Izaya growled in complaint at the exact moment Shizuo shouted, “No way!”  
The pair glanced at each other in surprise for a second, but decidedly ignored the moment. Of course their hatred of each other was the one thing they could both agree on.

********

Izaya couldn’t get the putrid taste of that man’s blood out of his mouth. It’s not like he expected the blood to taste good, but this was far worse than anything he’d ever experienced. It didn’t even taste metallic like blood should, it just tasted _wrong._ It left a sick feeling in his stomach and somehow made him feel famished at the same time. Izaya couldn’t remember the last time he’d even eaten, let alone drank, anything. But his stomach ached in protest at the mere mention of food and the thought of water was even less appealing. Dammit, he regretted biting that wretched man in the first place. Izaya wasn’t usually the type to attack one of his dear humans so directly, but that man had left him no choice. Shizuo wasn’t going to rescue him, not that he needed saving from that beast anyway. Despite his current state, Izaya knew he was nowhere near helpless. There was no way he was going to allow himself to die in such a pathetic situation. If he was to die then it would be at the hands of Shizu-chan or not at all, preferably the latter if he had anything to do with it.

The visits to the other clients went by far smoother than the first. Izaya wasn’t attacked again and he spent most of the time sitting on the sidelines with Tom, while Shizuo and Vorona roughed up anyone who was stupid enough to argue. At one point the dreadlocked man reached down in an attempt to pat the black cat who sat by his feet, but Izaya hissed at him in warning.  
“Okay, okay. I get it,” Tom assured him and held up his hands in a placating gesture, “I guess Shizuo’s the only one who’s allowed to touch you, huh?”  
Of course Izaya couldn’t reply to that ridiculous assumption, so instead he tried his best to portray his offence with a steely glare. Tom chuckled at his reaction and turned a soft smile in Shizuo’s direction as the blonde threatened the compulsive gambler.  
“You’ve got a temper too. The two of you make quite a pair. No wonder he’s taken a liking to you.”  
If Izaya could scoff he would have. This simple human didn’t know what he was talking about at all.

Thankfully Shizuo returned before his senpai had the chance to sprout off any more nonsense. Izaya had finally gotten the hang of walking on four legs and no longer stumbled as he scurried his way towards the blonde, eager to get away from the other debt collector’s speculative rambling. Shizuo scooped the cat up and placed him upon his shoulder again as soon as Izaya got within arm’s reach. Izaya quickly settled comfortably upon the increasingly familiar perch. It’s not like he particularly enjoyed being so close to his enemy. But just because Izaya could walk properly now didn’t mean he wanted to test these tiny legs against Shizuo’s monstrous strides. The informant had enough self confidence that he could admit being carried by Shizuo was just the easiest option for everyone.

“I think it’s about time we headed for lunch. What do you guys think?” Tom suggested as they left their latest victim’s apartment. Izaya perked up at the suggestion, his empty stomach growling in support. He looked at Shizuo beseechingly, hoping the beast wouldn’t dare ruin this chance for him to quell his unbearable hunger. Shizuo smirked at his enthusiasm and Izaya feared he might turn the offer down just to spite him, but it seems Shizuo’s own hunger won out in the end because he agreed. To no one’s surprise, the group decided upon Russia Sushi for lunch. It wasn’t that the sushi was even that good, but the price was relatively cheap and they were all well acquainted with the staff. Plus with Simon’s intimidating presence outside the store it was generally pretty empty, so there was less chance of Shizuo losing his temper.

“Welcome friends! You here for sushi, yes? Come, come. I get you good seats!” The large man greeted them loudly at the door. He then noticed Izaya and beamed broadly at the small cat.  
“I see you have new kitty friend, Shi-zu-o! Good for you!” Simon reached over to pat Izaya’s head gently with one of his massive hands. Izaya growled in annoyance at the attention, but didn’t make to swipe at him. He knew better than to attack Simon by now, especially considering he was about to give him food. The last thing he needed was to be kicked out of the restaurant before he could satiate his aching stomach. He was surprised the Russian man had allowed a cat inside in the first place, although he supposed the restaurant wasn’t known for its stellar hygiene.

They settled themselves in a booth near the back and Izaya hopped off Shizuo’s shoulder to settle upon the table instead. He tapped at the menu impatiently, locking eyes with the blonde as he did so, his paw hitting the picture of ootoro repeatedly. Surely even Shizu-chan wasn’t dumb enough to miss what he was trying to convey. Shizuo flashed him an infuriatingly smug grin and shook his head.  
“Sorry, Flea. Cats can’t have raw fish, so you’ll have to pick something else,” Shizuo told him firmly. Izaya hissed at him, furious at being forbidden his favourite food. He wasn’t a _real_ cat and he wanted ootoro, dammit! But Shizuo remained unswayed by the growing fury in Izaya’s tantrum.  
“Stop whining or you won’t get anything at all,” Shizuo threatened calmly and Izaya begrudgingly quietened down with one final huff of frustration.

“That’s really bizarre, man. It reacts like it actually understands what you’re saying and the way it stares at people is too intelligence for a cat. It’s actually pretty creepy,” Tom admitted warily, looking at Izaya apprehensively. Izaya tried to make his gaze look as blank as possible.  
“You’re reading too much into it, he’s just a stupid cat,” Shizuo reassured him and Izaya resisted the urge to hiss at the remark. He needed to try harder at keeping up appearances or he’d risk being sent back to that horrible lab. It’s not like Shizuo would do anything to stop them if they tried to take him. If anything he might even help them if it meant being free of ‘the flea’.

When their food eventually came, Izaya felt his anticipation return at the sight. Finally, Izaya thought in relief, he’d been worried he’d die of starvation before it arrived. He waited impatiently as Shizuo slowly placed the bowl of karaage chicken in front of him. The food smelled delicious but his first bite left him disappointed. He couldn’t understand why. Sure he’d wanted ootoro at first, but it’s not like he disliked karaage chicken either. In fact, it was probably his second favourite food. But as he nibbled on each piece of meat, he became more and more dissatisfied. It tasted bland and unappealing in a way that even Russia Sushi’s food rarely was. No matter how much of the chicken he ate, his hunger just wouldn’t go away. In fact, it was like the more he ate the more his stomach protested. Still, he ate the entire bowl since he wasn’t sure when his next opportunity to eat would be. It’s not like Shizuo was under any obligation to feed him after all.

********

Something was wrong with the flea, other than the obvious predicament with his body. He’d been unusually quiet after lunch, even more so than he’d been all day. He hadn’t so much as hissed or growled at anyone since they’d left the restaurant. Hell, he’d barely even glanced at Shizuo. The flea just stared off into space, sulking upon his shoulder with his tiny body hunched over in evident lethargy. He couldn’t understand why the cat was so tired all of a sudden. Maybe it was because cats needed to sleep more than humans. Shizuo pondered what he should do with the flea now that his shift was over, watching the orange glow of the sunset as he made his way home. He supposed he could let the flea sleep on his couch for a little while before trying to break that stupid light chain. It’s not like he was in any hurry to kill the flea while he was in this vulnerable state.

The street was empty around them as the sky gradually darkened. Shizuo decided to travel through the backstreets on his way home this time, hoping to avoid the lingering gazes of curious passers-by. The last thing he needed were more rumours started about him, even if they were as harmless as him getting a new pet. Izaya started to sway in his peripheral vision and Shizuo began to worry about the cat’s precarious balance, until he remembered that he didn’t give a shit about the flea’s safety. If the bastard fell off his shoulder then that was his own fault, he told himself firmly. But that didn’t stop his arms from moving without his permission to catch the falling flea as he eventually did slip off Shizuo’s shoulder. The cat was slumped in his arms with his eyes closed and for one terrifying moment Shizuo thought Izaya was dead because he swore he couldn’t feel a heartbeat. But to his relief, he noticed the slight rise and fall of Izaya’s chest as the cat breathed shallowly. He cursed himself for worrying about the damn flea at all. He _wanted_ him dead, he reminded himself firmly.

“Oi, wake up,” Shizuo demanded, shaking the cat as gently as possible. He didn’t want to accidentally snap the cat’s spine in half because he was too rough. The sky turned dark around them and Izaya remained unresponsive, even as his body suddenly returned to its human form in a puff of the same smoke as this morning. The weight change barely registered to Shizuo and once again he found himself thinking that the flea was too damn skinny. It felt weird cradling his enemy in his arms like this. Izaya wasn’t a cat anymore, so realistically their previous truce was off. Shizuo could kill Izaya right now if he really wanted to. He glanced down at the sleeping informant, his skin too pale to be healthy. The flea’s scent was still off as well. Shizuo decided against killing the flea for now. It wouldn’t be fair to kill someone while they were sleeping anyway. He rearranged his hold on Izaya so that the informant’s head rested on his left shoulder and his right arm got a better grip under the man’s knees.

He continued on his way home, carrying the unconscious man with him as if he weighed nothing, which to Shizuo was basically true. However, it wasn’t very long afterwards that the informant began to stir gently in his arms. Izaya nuzzled his head further into Shizuo’s neck, the cold touch of his nose against the warm skin startling Shizuo. But the informant didn’t appear to be fully awake yet, so he didn’t shove him away. Izaya’s breath was coming heavily, as if he couldn’t get enough air. Shizuo ignored the shiver that ran up his spine as the informant’s breath panted over the crook of his neck. But he almost dropped the man completely when Izaya’s soft lips grazed over the sensitive skin of his neck. Instead his body froze, his grip tensing and tightening on the informant unconsciously. That bastard better not try to lick his neck again, Shizuo thought briefly. But what happened next was far worse. Shizuo didn’t even have time to process what was about to happen, as the informant opened his mouth wide before latching onto his neck. His teeth sank deep into Shizuo’s skin and the blonde’s mind blanked in shock.

********

Izaya couldn’t think about anything except the all-encompassing hunger that was eating him from the inside out. He couldn’t even feel the rest of his body anymore, his awareness narrowed down only to the throbbing pain in his stomach. He didn’t want to die like this, Izaya thought in frustration. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down. All his preparations for becoming Valhalla’s champion would be wasted if he allowed himself to fall here. There would be no afterlife waiting for him, nothing but the cold embrace of the ground. His consciousness would simply cease to exist and there was nothing in this world that scared Izaya more.

An enticing scent abruptly interrupted his frantic thoughts, gratefully dragging his mind away from the pain. It was incredibly sweet but also radiated warmth, like cookies fresh from the oven. It was vaguely familiar, but Izaya didn’t have the willpower to focus long enough to try determining where he could have possibly encountered it before. The scent sunk its claws into his stomach, twisting it with painful desire that was so powerful he couldn’t even consider resisting its pull. He moved towards the source of the scent eagerly, inhaling deeply and letting it cloud his mind like a drug. Izaya’s nose nuzzled against an impossible warmth and he could practically taste the scent on his tongue as he pressed his lips close to the heat. His canines began to ache painfully in anticipation and in the next instant Izaya knew what he needed to do to relieve them. Without hesitation, Izaya lunged forward to sink his teeth into the source of the scent.

As if he’d bitten into a fruit, juice flowed over his tongue and he lapped at the delicious liquid eagerly. He felt the warm nectar flow down his throat, quelling the aching of his stomach, and it was as if his body was awakening with it. He slowly became aware of himself again, realising with relief that he was back in his human body. His gaze was still fuzzy, but he clearly felt the resistance of hands pressing hard against his chest. Instinct caused his teeth to lock down tighter, unwilling to give up this wonderful taste for anything.  
“Get the fuck off me, you sick bastard,” Shizuo’s voice demanded, distant as if he were shouting the words underwater. But it was enough to give Izaya pause. What was Shizu-chan doing here? Where _was_ he again? Izaya tried hard to remember and in his distraction, a harsh jerking at his neck managed to yank his mouth away. He rubbed gingerly at his neck, startled to find the hard press of a chain against his hand as it seemed to protrude from the skin at his nape. The revelation should have been more alarming, but he was preoccupied by the shock of landing hard against the ground and his hazy sight coming back into focus.

Shizuo loomed over him, his gaze absolutely murderous. Izaya was so caught up in the force of his glare, tightening his grip around the switchblade that he was relieved to find had reappeared with his body, that he almost didn’t notice the blood staining Shizuo’s white collar red. It wasn’t until the debt collector moved his right hand up to inspect the damage, that Izaya’s eyes fell upon the gaping wound.  
“Shit I can’t believe you fucking _bit_ me. You’re so disgusting,” Shizuo hissed furiously. Izaya’s chin was still damp and he wiped desperately at it, disturbed to find what Shizuo said appeared to be true. He stared in disbelief at the blood staining his palm, horrified by the compelling urge to lick it clean. But Izaya managed to restrain himself, too sickened by the thought to comply. He didn’t even know where to begin explaining his actions, but Shizuo still demanded answers anyway.  
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Dammit, Flea, just tell me what the hell happened to you already!”

The words tumbled out of his mouth, completely out of Izaya’s control, and he didn’t even have the peace of mind to be relieved that he could speak again.  
“Yagiri Pharmaceuticals kidnapped me and I woke up in a hospital bed. I overheard Shinra’s father talking to another colleague about an experiment they conducted on my body. I don’t know exactly what they did, but my speed, strength and hearing has vastly improved. I think it has something to do with Shingen’s sick obsession with the supernatural and a blood transfusion, but I can’t be sure what exactly he was trying to achieve. It sounded like he was trying to build some kind of army.”  
Shizuo looked at him in surprise, clearly not expecting to actually get an honest answer from him.

Izaya wasn’t stupid and he could easily spot a pattern when he saw one. He didn’t know how or why, but it seemed that he was being forced to follow Shizuo’s orders. It all made sense now, Izaya realised, as he recalled the last words the brute had shouted before his ability to speak was stolen. There was only one thing to do, he decided, he had to cut out the beast’s tongue before he noticed and tried to use it against him. Izaya lunged at Shizuo with his switchblade, catching the blonde off guard. But the brute managed to throw up his arm in time to block the blade. Metal clashed against metal as the blade made contact with the black cuff surrounding Shizuo’s left wrist. It still had a faint blue glow around it, but the chain was obviously more tangible than it had been before. His blood ran cold as he suddenly remembered the metal at the back of his neck. Izaya’s hand snapped to his neck, alarmed to find it was no longer a collar that joined him to the chain around Shizuo’s wrist. No this was far, far worse. The metal was now connected to his actual skin, one large chain link digging deep into the muscle of his neck, connecting to the rest of the chain with what appeared to be a padlock.

“What the fuck is this?” Izaya demanded, forgetting his plans of attacking Shizuo entirely as he shoved the switchblade back into his pocket, freeing both his hands to explore his neck frantically.  
“It’s the same damn chain as earlier,” Shizuo replied, sounding annoyed.  
“It’s not the same, you idiotic beast! It’s _in my neck!_ ” Izaya exclaimed.  
“Calm down, Flea. I’ll just pull it out,” Shizuo announced exasperatedly. Despite himself, Izaya found his body calming down against his will, even as his mind raced with all the horrible consequences of such a stupid action. Before Izaya could protest, however, Shizuo was already reaching for the chain and pulling it roughly. Izaya’s head was wrenched painfully back with the force of the pull, but the link in his neck still didn’t budge.

“Ow, ow, ow! Stop that, you stupid protozoan. It hurts!” Izaya proclaimed, clutching at his nape.  
“Shut up and just stay still. It’ll break eventually,” Shizuo insisted, continuing his efforts. But Izaya was becoming more and more sure that his head would be ripped off first.  
“I’m telling you, _it won’t._ Stop or I’ll cut off your hand!” Izaya insisted, grabbing his switchblade from his pocket and pressing it against Shizuo’s wrist threateningly.  
“Then what do you suggest, Flea? Because I’m not going to allow myself to be chained to a bastard like you,” Shizuo growled.  
“As if I want to be chained to a beast like you either! But we clearly can’t do anything about it ourselves,” Izaya hissed back. “We need to ask someone for help.”


	5. Chapter 5

“What the hell happened to you two?” Shinra asked, staring wide-eyed at the pair on his doorstep. The bloody mess of Shizuo’s neck had stopped bleeding on the walk over, but he knew it still looked awful. Shizuo wasn’t worried though. He’d experienced far worse in the past. He just hoped it didn’t scar. Honestly, he was more concerned about the condition of the shirt Kasuka gave him than his neck, the white material was completely ruined. The flea was going to pay for ruining his brother’s precious gift, Shizuo vowed. The bastard in question’s lips and chin were stained red with his blood, but otherwise he remained frustratingly untarnished. Shizuo resisted the urge to beat him bloody, considering they’d formed a begrudging truce for the time being.  

“Nice to see you too, Shinra! May we come in? It seems we’re in need of professional assistance,” Izaya chimed an overenthusiastic greeting.  
“Where the heck have you been, Izaya? Wait, is that a _chain_? What kind of kinky stuff have you two been up to?” Shinra gaped at them. Shizuo’s face went red at the insinuation, in rage _not_ embarrassment, he assured himself. Izaya didn’t seem at all affected by the suggestion, in fact he started laughing light-heartedly.  
“Oh we both know the most perverted one here is you, Shinra, not me,” Izaya chuckled, pushing himself inside before Shinra could refuse. Izaya headed straight for the living room and Shizuo was dragged inside behind him, apologising to Shinra for the intrusion. Shinra frowned at the chain connecting them and then at Shizuo’s neck, but clearly decided both could wait. He seemed too distracted by Izaya’s reappearance to look at either of them properly. His dismissal annoyed Shizuo since he was the one who actually needed medical attention. But he placated himself by lighting a cigarette, not wanting to upset Celty by attacking the man she loved. He followed as Izaya settled himself upon the couch as if he owned the place.

“No one’s heard from you in _three weeks._ Now suddenly you’re at my door with your face all covered in blood and chained to Shizuo, who has a _bite mark on his neck_. How else am I supposed to read this situation? I mean, I know I always said I wanted you to get along but this is a little extreme,” Shinra rambled, wiggling his eyebrows at them and looking dramatically scandalised.    
“Three weeks? That’s ridiculous, I couldn’t have been gone for more than a day,” Izaya snapped incredulously, focussing on the first sentence and completely ignoring the rest. Shizuo decided to follow suit, knowing that denying Shinra’s assumptions were pointless. The pervert could think what he wanted.  
“No he’s right, Flea. You’ve been gone for almost a month. A lot of people thought you were dead. But I knew that would be too good to be true,” Shizuo huffed, plopping himself down on the couch beside him. He made sure not to lie back against the cushions, not wanting to get bloodstains on Shinra’s couch.

Before Izaya could reply, his neck was suddenly wrapped in tendrils of inky blackness and he was slammed harshly into the opposite wall with a loud thump. Shizuo’s arm was jerked with the force of the motion, but he managed to keep his place on the cushions. Interestingly enough, the chain seemed to grow longer to accommodate the distance. He briefly wondered how long it could stretch, but a flustered dullahan ran into the room interrupting his thoughts. Celty rushed over to Shinra, worrying over him and pulling at his collar to frantically inspect his neck.  
“Celty, I had no idea you were so eager to get my clothes off. I don’t even mind that we have company!” Shinra beamed with the attention. Celty ignored him, thrusting her phone in his face.  
[Are you alright? Did it bite you? I’m so sorry I didn’t sense it sooner!]

She only just seemed to notice Shizuo’s presence and the smoke in her neck plumed in panic as she saw the deep bite mark in Shizuo’s neck.  
[Oh my goodness, Shizuo, you’ve been bitten!]  
Shizuo was about to reassure her that he was fine really, but Izaya spoke up first.  
“Excuse me, Celty, but would you mind letting me down now? This isn’t a very nice way of treating your guests, you know?” Izaya piped up from his position on the wall. He was hung entirely by his neck, but the informant didn’t look the least bit concerned for his wellbeing. That outrageous smirk decorated his face and Shizuo wanted to punch it off him. He took another deep drag of his cigarette instead.

At the sound of the informant’s voice, Celty turned to him in shock and the tendrils retracted in the same instant. Izaya’s body hit the floor hard at the abrupt release, knocking the wind out of him.  
[Izaya!? But how? What happened to you?] She demanded, rushing over to make sure he could read the phone properly.  
“Your crazy Father-in-law kidnapped me and experimented on me. That’s what _happened_ ,” he grumbled, pulling himself from the ground and pushing the phone out of his face in annoyance.  
“My father did what?” Shinra gasped, but Celty didn’t even glance over at him. Well her body didn’t turn in his direction, but Shizuo realised in hindsight she didn’t actually need to face him to see him.  
[Izaya, you’re, you’re…] Celty’s hand shook, hovering uncertainly over the keyboard of her phone like she was hesitating to continue. Her shoulder’s lifted up and down, the motion signifying that she’d taken a deep breath from her non-existent mouth, before her shoulders set determinedly and she typed her next reply.  
[Izaya, you’re a vampire.]

********

“That’s ridiculous,” Izaya forcefully scoffed, pushing away the dread that was running his blood cold. He couldn’t be a vampire. He wasn’t a monster like Shizuo or Celty. _He was human._  
“ _Is it?_ You bit my fucking neck, you bloody leech! I always knew you were a bloodsucking parasite,” Shizuo growled, looking completely unsurprised by the news. Shinra, however, looked completely blindsided, his eyebrows raised high above the glasses perched upon his nose.  
[It’s true, Izaya. I can sense the presence of other supernatural beings and you’ve got the unmistakable aura of a vampire.] Celty assured him. Izaya continued to deny her claims. It couldn’t possibly be true.  
“You’re wrong,” Izaya insisted confidently, but his hands began to shake and he clenched them into fists in an attempt to stop the tremors. For the first time he realised he couldn’t feel his heartbeat, although he was positive right now it _should_ be hammering away in his chest. _No. This can’t be real._  
“How dare you question my darling, Celty? If she says you’re a vampire, then you’re a vampire!” Shinra jumped to his girlfriend’s defence, clinging to her arm melodramatically. She roughly brushed him off, but the doctor wasn’t the least bit discouraged by the rejection.

Izaya struggled to remain outwardly calm as he internally broke down. As much as he wanted to refuse what Celty was telling him, he couldn’t deny the facts. Being a vampire would definitely explain all of his physical changes and most of his actions lately, especially his reaction to Shizuo’s blood. It made Izaya sick how much he wanted to taste it again. But it still didn’t explain everything.  
“Fine let’s just suppose what you’re saying is true,” Izaya suggested carefully, “what does this chain have to do with it? I’ve never heard of a vampire being chained to someone they… feed on.”  
His face twisted in disgust as he choked out the last two words, refusing to look at Shizuo or the wound on his neck. He fixed his eyes on the chain instead, holding it up for the dullahan’s inspection. She stared at it in clear shock, her body went rigid and the smoke from her neck flared in response. Izaya wondered how she hadn’t noticed it earlier, but supposed she’d probably been too distracted by the presence of another supernatural being to pay much attention to the room around her.

[That’s- But that’s impossible. I heard the creator died over a hundred years ago!] Celty typed.  
Izaya was getting frustrated with these stuttering half-responses. He needed clear answers and Celty seemed to be the only one who could provide them right now.  
“What do you mean creator? _What does this mean?”_ He hissed, clenching his fist tighter around the invincible, glowing metal. Celty looked reluctant to tell him but she continued anyway.  
[Izaya, you’re no ordinary vampire. It seems you’re a Servamp, an extremely rare class of vampire that specialises in being cared for. I haven’t encountered one for thousands of years. There’s only meant to be seven in the entire world!] Celty explained.  
“What do you mean ‘specialises in being cared for’?” Izaya asked cautiously. He didn’t like where this was going. He had a feeling he knew where the word ‘Servamp’ came from and didn’t like it one bit.

[The term Servamp originates from the combination of the words servant and vampire.] She began, confirming his suspicions. [This is because they typically have human masters that they are bonded to known as Eves. Servamps can only drink blood from their Eves and must obey their master’s orders. That chain signifies that you’ve solidified a contract with Shizuo as your Eve.]  
“Oh _really_? So that means Izaya has to do everything I say now, huh?” Shizuo hummed interestedly, a dark grin spreading across his face. _Oh no_ , Izaya thought just as Shizuo continued.  
“Hey, Izaya? Do me a favour and drop dead.”

Izaya was sure if his heart was still beating it would have skipped a beat. Fortunately, his face didn’t betray his panic as the seconds passed tensely by with no reaction. As soon as he realised nothing was going to happen, he allowed himself to relax. He let out the breath that he didn’t realise he was holding. His lungs hadn’t protested and he wondered if he even _needed_ to breathe anymore.  
“It didn’t work,” Shizuo complained with a disappointed frown.  
“Too bad. I’d _rather_ die if it means I have to follow the orders of a beast or drink your disgusting blood again,” Izaya sneered at Shizuo condescendingly.  
“That can be arranged,” Shizuo snapped his cigarette and ground it into the ground under his foot. He grabbed the chain and started tugging Izaya towards him. Izaya couldn’t help the surprised yelp that escaped his mouth as the protozoan dragged him forward. He was pulled until the man settled his grip tightly around the nape of his neck covering the base of the chain. Izaya just couldn’t understand how this fricking chain _worked_. One minute it would grow extra links to accommodate the gap between them and the next it would roughly tug at his neck. Its inconsistency was seriously pissing him off. The hand burned his neck with the premonition of pain, but he glared up at Shizuo unflinchingly.

“I’d like to see you try, monster,” Izaya purred, baring his teeth at him in a sharp smile. He tried hard to ignore the way the tantalising smell of Shizuo’s dried blood made his mouth water in anticipation. The beast was too damn close, he thought as he fought the urge to lean forward even further, why does something so disgusting have to smell so damn tempting?  
“Actually,” Shinra interrupted their staring contest, “I’d rather you didn’t kill each other in my apartment if you don’t mind.” Izaya used the distraction to pull Shizuo’s hand from his neck and took a large step back from the alluring scent.  
[Shinra’s right, Shizuo. It would be a futile effort anyway. Servamps are almost entirely immortal.]  
“What do you mean _almost_?” Izaya zeroed in on the word choice, not allowing himself to feel relief at the news just yet.  
[Well there is _one_ known way to kill a Servamp, but I don’t think it’d be safe for me to disclose that information in front of Shizuo.]  
“I’d be happy to leave if someone would just get rid of this damn chain already!” Shizuo grumbled.

With a flash like a small explosion and the sound of a bell chiming, the chain shattered and the pieces disappeared in a scatter of blue flames, causing everyone in the room to flinch in surprise.  
“Well… I guess that’s one problem solved then,” Shinra pointed out in an overly cheerful tone. Izaya glared at him as he rubbed his now free neck. There were no marks indicating the chain had even been there at all. Shizuo was rubbing his wrist as well, a relieved sigh escaping his lips as he stood.  
“Alright then, I’m going home,” Shizuo announced, heading towards the door. But Celty ran in front of the blonde, blocking his path with flailing hands.  
[Wait! You can’t leave!] She typed frantically.  
“Why not?” Shizuo frowned but he didn’t break into a rage induced fit, likely because it was his best friend who’d stopped him and not Shinra or Izaya.

Celty hesitated, glancing at Izaya before she replied. [Um, Shinra needs to tend to your neck. Don’t you, Shinra?]  
“Actually, since it’s Shizuo it’ll probably be fi-” Shinra began but smoke fumed threateningly from Celty’s neck and he abruptly changed his tune, “I mean, yes! I should really take a look at that neck, right away!” Celty was already pushing Shizuo back towards the couch before the blond could argue.  
Shizuo settled back down on the cushions in irritation while Shinra pulled out a bag of medical supplies and started wiping away the dried blood with alcohol wipes. Izaya wanted to complain that Shinra was ruining the scent with the foul smelling liquid but caught himself before he could.  
[Izaya, may I have a word with you in the other room?] Celty asked, clearly trying to appear nonchalant and failing. Izaya shrugged, following the dullahan into the other room. 

[You can’t let Shizuo leave.] She warned him.  
“What makes you think I can get the beast to do anything? According to you, I’m the slave here not the other way around,” Izaya scoffed.  
[Look Izaya, I know you’re upset right now and you have every right to be. But if you let Shizuo leave his life will be in danger.]  
“And why should I care about that? All I’ve wanted for the better half of a decade is that bastard’s demise,” Izaya scowled back at her. He wasn’t about to do him any favours, especially if everything Celty had told them was true. There was no way he was going to become the beast’s puppet.  
[You _should_ care because right now I’m the only one who knows how to kill you.]

Izaya froze, eyeing the dullahan carefully, “You wouldn’t, you’re not a killer.”  
Her shoulders shook like she was laughing before she held up her phone in response.  
[Dullahans are traditionally harbingers of death. You think I would think twice about ending the life of a conniving bastard like you? Shizuo is my best friend. If he dies because of you then I’ll make sure to end your pathetic life personally.] She promised, and frustratingly enough, Izaya believed her.  
“Fine, but only if you tell me how exactly someone can kill a Servamp. It’s my life at stake, after all. Oh god, it’s not a stake to the heart is it? How cliché~” Izaya whined.

[No it’s nothing like that. First has Shizuo given you anything lately, like a piece of jewellery or a trinket?] Celty asked him, looking him over intently. The only jewellery he had on were his usual rings. He shook his head instantly at the notion of Shizuo giving him anything except bruises. But then he stopped, realisation hitting him as he pulled the switchblade from his pocket.  
“I dropped this while I was kidnapped, Shizuo gave it back to me when I came to his house,” Izaya explained, handing the knife to Celty. She turned it over in her hands and became animated when she saw the symbol on the hilt.  
[This must be it!] She declared, pointing at the mark enthusiastically before continuing. [When a bond is formed, the Eve offers the Servamp a contract symbol and gives them a new name. By carving ‘Flea’ into the knife, Shizuo was unknowingly presenting you with both.] Celty informed him.

“Seriously? So I’m expected to answer to Flea now, am I?” Izaya hissed, “Not bloody likely.”  
[You don’t have to answer to it, but if Shizuo orders you to do something using that name you won’t have much of a choice.] Celty clarified and Izaya realised now why Shizuo’s order hadn’t worked earlier but his others had. Izaya could have sworn Celty was grinning at him even without a head. She wouldn’t be so cocky if she knew where her head was right now, Izaya thought bitterly.  
“I suppose you also wouldn’t approve of me cutting out his tongue then?” Izaya sighed and Celty crossed her arms firmly.  
“Of course not. Typical. Just tell me how I’m killed already,” he demanded impatiently.  
[It’s simple.] She placed the switchblade into his hand and folded his fingers around it gently. [If your contract symbol breaks, then so do you.]

********

Izaya was unusually quiet when he and Celty returned, the ever-present smirk for once missing from his face. Shizuo felt like he should be getting used to the flea’s odd silences lately, but it still put him on edge. A quiet flea was a thinking flea and that was far more ominous than a chatty flea. Izaya’s expression was far-away and his hands were shoved firmly into the pockets of his favourite coat. He didn’t so much as glance in Shizuo's direction as he entered the room. Izaya didn’t even make a sly remark about his current appearance, the blonde’s torso covered in nothing but a bandage that wrapped around his neck and left shoulder. He’d had to remove his shirt to allow Shinra proper access to the wound and the doctor had offered to soak it in an effort to remove the bloodstains. He felt too exposed like this but he’d be damned if he allowed his discomfort to show in front of Izaya.

According to Shinra, he’d been lucky he hadn’t needed stitches and if it had been anyone else they would have fared far worse. But even so, Shinra had simply cleaned up the wound and given him some antibiotics to make sure he didn’t get an infection. Shizuo thought he could have done about as much by himself at home. But he didn’t complain, not wanting to seem ungrateful.  
“Is that everything?” Shizuo asked the doctor as he packed up his medical supplies.  
“Yep! With your rate of recovery, I’m sure the wound will be healed in a few days. Unless the wound is reopened, that is,” Shinra said, eyeing Izaya accusingly but the informant wasn’t even listening. Shizuo decidedly ignored the implication. As if he’d let that bastard anywhere near his neck again.  
“I need to call Namie. I’m going to borrow your phone for a while,” Izaya murmured distractedly, not bothering to wait for permission before leaving the room in search of their landline.  
“Well then I’m going home,” Shizuo announced, but before he could go Celty grabbed his arm and he looked at her questioningly.

[Shizuo, you’re not going to like what I have to say but you need to hear me out, okay?]  
He trusted Celty more than anyone, so without hesitation he nodded and waited for her to continue.   
[If you get too far away from Izaya for more than twelve hours you’re going to get sick and after 24 hours you'll die.]  
Shizuo’s blood boiled instantly, the fragile calm inside of him snapping like a rubber band, “What!? I’m gonna kill him! I’ll kill him. Kill him. Kill him, for sure!”  
[Shizuo you need to calm down, this isn’t Izaya’s fault.] Celty reminded him desperately.  
“Like _hell_ it isn’t! He’s the one who bit me in the first place. Why the fuck should I be forced to hang around a bastard like that forever, huh?” Shizuo roared.  
[It won’t be forever!] Celty reassured him. [Shinra is going to do his best to come up with a cure, isn’t that right Shinra?]  
“Now hold on, this is a little above my paygr- mmm mmm mmm!” Shinra’s shouts became muffled under the black smoke that wrapped itself tightly around his mouth.

Shizuo narrowed his eyes at them. He wasn’t stupid, despite what everyone liked to think. Even if Shinra _could_ find a cure it was bound to take time. More time than he cared to spend with his worst enemy. Unfortunately it seemed like he didn’t have a damn choice, his life was literally on the line.  
"What if I just killed the bastard instead? You know how, right?" Shizuo demanded desperately.  
[I’m not going to tell you how to kill him, Shizuo.] Celty refused firmly.  
“Why the hell not? He deserves it, you know he does!” Shizuo huffed in exasperation.  
[Because I know you’re a better person than he is and you wouldn’t intentionally kill someone, even a slimy bastard like Izaya. You’re not the monster that he wants you to be.]

Shizuo was silent as he considered her words. He loathed that bastard more than anyone he’d ever known. But Celty was right, though he hated to admit it. As much as he constantly vowed to kill Izaya, he knew that there was always a part of him that was holding back. He wasn’t a killer, dammit! All he’d ever wanted was to live a peaceful life. Shizuo was convinced that he might be able to attain that dream if Izaya just stayed out of Ikebukuro for good. But no matter how hard he tried to threaten and chase him away, the bastard just kept coming back with that infuriating smirk. And now it seemed like he would never be free of him. With a groan of frustration, he sat back down.  
“How do you expect me to stick around a blood-sucking leech indefinitely? He could slit my throat while I’m sleeping and drink me dry!” Shizuo hissed indignantly.  
[He won’t. I told him I’d kill him if he does.] Celty informed him. [He’ll only drink your blood when it’s necessary.]  
“If that bastard thinks he’s going anywhere near my neck again, he’s sorely mistaken,” Shizuo said. 

[Shizuo, if you don’t allow Izaya to drink your blood regularly he’s going to become consumed by bloodlust. If that happens then he’ll most likely attack you, since you’re his Eve and he can only drink your blood.] Celty warned him.  
“So what? I can take that bastard,” Shizuo snapped.  
[I’m positive you could, but if Izaya doesn’t eat it’s going to be very difficult for him. I’ve known ancient vampires who could ignore their bloodlust for years, even centuries. But Izaya is only a fledging and his thirst for blood is currently much stronger and harder to ignore. If he tries to ignore it for very long it’s going to get extremely painful for him.]  
“Good! He’s a bastard that deserves everything he gets. Why are you even defending him? You hate him almost as much as I do,” Shizuo frowned in confusion.  
[I do. But he’s a supernatural being now and as a supernatural being myself, I feel obligated to help him through this difficult transition. It’s so rare that I get to see one of my own kind. Even if it is someone as awful as Izaya, I don’t want to let this chance slip by.]

Shizuo couldn’t argue with that. Celty was his best friend, even more than Tom-senpai, so he couldn’t ruin this opportunity for her. Not if it meant this much to her.  
[Just stay here for tonight while Shinra runs some tests on the both of you. If Izaya tries to instigate a fight, I’ll restrain him with my shadows.]  
Shizuo sighed heavily, slumping in resignation. What had he done to deserve this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot of exposition but at least Shizuo and Izaya are up to speed now! Thanks so much to everyone who has left a kudos or a comment. Your feedback means the world to me! :D


	6. Chapter 6

Izaya numbly hung up the phone, his conversation with Namie feeling like it happened a long time ago instead of just a few seconds. He barely even remembered their conversation, vaguely recalling her bitter tone as she berated him for his unexpected absence. His mind had been elsewhere as he went through the motions of the phone call, feeling like it was happening to somebody else. Izaya felt like he was adrift, watching it all from outside of his body. He was disconnected from himself like a ghost and maybe that’s what he was now. Could he even be considered alive anymore? He had no heartbeat, he didn’t need to breathe and his body was as cold as ice. He was nothing more than an animated corpse at this point, just like Celty. _Just like a monster._

He loved all humans and often spoke of them as separate beings from himself, as if he weren’t really one of them. But never in his entire life had he ever craved to be anything else. Izaya believed being human had always been one of his only redeemable qualities. He was under no illusions that he was a good person, yet neither could he believe that he was truly evil. Because the concept of good and evil were relative and no one person could ever be entirely one or the other. But did that still apply to monsters? They weren’t fascinating or complex like his dear humans and they could never compare. And now he was one of them, a mindless beast consumed only by his instincts. There was still a part of him that wanted to rush into the other room and bury his teeth deep into Shizuo’s neck again. It scared him how much he wanted to obey the urge and that alone was unsettling in and of itself. Izaya had never been afraid of anything; nothing except the inevitability of his own demise.  

Which only led him to consider his next dilemma, the revelation of his newfound immortality. On one hand, it was everything that he’d ever wanted. He would never have to worry about growing old or succumbing to fatal wounds from resentful enemies. Izaya could be free to watch over his beloved human beings for all of eternity. But the price was that he wouldn’t be one of them anymore. He’d become the thing he hated most, a _monster_ forced to live out his days feeding off his precious humans in order to survive. At least for now it seemed he only needed to feed off that beast, but that was of little comfort to him. Izaya hated having to rely on that protozoan to survive. It was the worst kind of irony. Not to mention the apparent fragility of this so called immortality. All it would take is one tiny mistake, just the slightest bit of carelessness or slow reflexes, and it would all be over. The crushing force of Shizuo’s hand or foot against his switchblade would snap it in an instant. Izaya wrapped his hand around the blade at the thought, his life literally resting in his hands.

“Izaya, are you okay?” Shinra’s voice pulled him out of his stupor and Izaya unconsciously gripped a little tighter around the knife in his pocket protectively. He forced a grin onto his face as he turned to face the doctor hovering curiously in the doorway.  
“Of course! I’m damn near invincible now, haven’t you heard?” Izaya replied, trying his best to appear unfazed. Shinra frowned in concern, not seeming at all convinced by his act. Before the doctor could press any further, Izaya pushed past him to cut off the possibility of a conversation. He didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. Izaya could feel himself falling apart and he didn’t need an audience for the oncoming breakdown. Izaya just needed to get away. He could always hunt Shizuo down later if he desperately needed another fix, Izaya thought in disgust.  
“Well if you’ll excuse me, I actually have responsibilities I need to get back to. It was awful as usual Shizu-chan,” he waved his hand in passive farewell, refusing to look at anything except the door.

Black shadows suddenly barricaded the exit in an intricate array of threads similar to a spider web. Izaya tugged uselessly at the impenetrable fibers before turning accusingly in Celty’s direction.  
“What the hell is this? Let me leave!” he demanded, his mask slipping to reveal true frustration.  
[I told you, Izaya. You can’t leave Shizuo.] Celty told him calmly.  
“No, you just said I couldn’t let him leave. Well guess what? He _hasn’t_ , so I’d appreciate it if you unblocked the fucking door,” Izaya snapped at her, pounding his fist against the door in emphasis. It shuddered with the impact but the shadows shielded the wood from splintering. His composure was fading fast and he realised he was starting to act like the protozoan. But even that disturbing thought wasn’t enough to quell the rage building inside him. He needed to be alone right now.

“Stop being a brat,” Shizuo hissed, “I don’t want to be around you either, but it’s your own fricking fault I’m involved. So just take some responsibility, dammit!”  
“How the hell is it _my_ fault? It was Shinra’s father who did this to me!” Izaya argued, turning to glare at Shinra who held up his hands defensively.  
“Hey, don’t look at me like that! I don’t have any say in what my father does,” Shinra insisted.  
[Izaya, I understand that you’re upset but you need to calm down.]  
“Upset?” Izaya chuckled deliriously, “Oh no, I’m fantastic! I’ve never been better, see?”  
He pulled out his switchblade and plunged it deep into his chest. It hurt like hell but Izaya didn’t so much as wince, whereas everyone else in the room flinched. He could already feel the pain receding as he roughly yanked it from the wound. Izaya eyed the bloodied blade curiously for a few moments before bringing it to his mouth. He swiped his tongue along the blade experimentally but the blood tasted almost as disgusting as the man’s from this morning. He fought through his revulsion though, licking the blade clean in order to savour the repulsed look on Shizuo’s face.

“You’re sick, Flea,” Shizuo growled and Izaya’s smirk sharpened dangerously.  
“Why I’m just embracing my nature as a monster, Shizu-chan. You should know all about that, ne?”  
“What was that, bastard?” Shizuo roared, lunging towards Izaya to wrap a hand around his neck and slam the back of his head hard against the door. Izaya enjoyed the pain from the impact and the bruising force against his windpipe. The grin spread further across his face as he admired the rage on Shizuo’s.  
“Isn’t this fun, Shizu-chan? How about we play some more? I bet you’re dying to test just how indestructible I really am now. I can’t deny that I’m curious to see how long it’ll take until you lose interest,” Izaya provoked him. At least fighting with Shizu-chan would be something familiar. He’d have to remember not to use his switchblade, but he didn’t need it to fight anymore anyway.

“Hey, I said no fighting in my apartment,” Shinra reminded them in exasperation. Shizuo and Izaya didn’t stop glaring at each other to look in their direction, so it seemed Celty made Shinra translate.  
“Celty says if you two don’t stop right now, she’s going to restrain both of you with her shadows.”  
“Tch, he started it,” Shizuo clicked his tongue in annoyance, releasing Izaya and busying his hands with another cigarette. Disappointment filled Izaya at the anticlimactic response.  
“Shizu-chan’s so childish,” Izaya scoffed, plucking the cigarette from out of Shizuo’s mouth and taking a drag himself. He hated smoking but when he was stressed the nicotine actually managed to calm his nerves. He never made a habit of it but it’s not like it could kill him now anyway.

“Oi get your own, you flea bastard,” Shizuo complained, reaching to reclaim the cigarette but Izaya easily danced out of his grasp.  
“Stop being so greedy, Shizu-chan. Besides your lungs should thank me,” Izaya declared, blowing a puff of smoke into Shizuo’s face mockingly. Shizuo waved the smoke out of his eyes angrily but just dug into his pants for another cigarette instead of retaliating.  
“If you two are done bickering now, I’d actually like to run a few tests on both of you,” Shinra piped up looking eager, “You wouldn’t mind if I dissected you now, right Izaya?”  
He was surprised to find a part of him briefly considered it, thinking an autopsy might be enough to keep his mind off everything. But he brushed away the idea, deciding he wasn’t that desperate yet.  
 “Actually I would, you fricking lunatic,” Izaya snapped. Shinra pouted at him exaggeratedly.  
“No fair! How am I expected to cure you if I can’t get a full analysis?” Shinra complained.  
“I’m sure you’ll manage,” Izaya lied, he didn’t believe for one second that he could be cured anyway.

********

Izaya didn’t sleep that night, he didn’t even try. He wasn’t sure he needed to sleep anymore. Thankfully Shizuo had eventually gotten bored of pacing around the apartment like the trapped beast he was, claiming the couch without so much as a glance in Izaya’s direction. The pair hadn’t spoken a word to each other since Shinra’s examination. Shizuo’s didn’t take long, Izaya supposed Shinra didn’t want to risk pissing him off further so he’d only taken a blood sample from the brute. The informant, however, had fared much worse. Shinra decided to take not only blood but also tissue and spinal fluid samples from Izaya. The needle Shinra had buried deep into the back of his neck had hurt more than anything he’d ever experienced. Izaya reminded the bastard that just because he was immortal didn’t mean he couldn’t still feel pain. But Shinra was completely unapologetic, studying the closure of Izaya’s wounds with nothing but fascinated delight. It had been hours before Izaya was released from Shinra’s clutches.

Yet now that it was over he realised how much he’d needed the distraction. The house was dark and quiet, all other occupants of the apartment succumbed to the pull of sleep. Izaya focussed on the steady rhythm of Shizuo’s breathing from across the room and tried his best to ignore the beating of his heart that accompanied it. Faced with nothing but silence and the company of his own thoughts for the rest of the night, Izaya realised he was spiralling head-first into a full blown meltdown. Now that he was finally alone, Izaya allowed himself to crumble under the weight of it. He found himself curling up in the farthest corner of the living room, hugging his knees tightly as his body shook too hard for him to stand.  

He was dead. That much was certain. Yes, his consciousness lived on but he was undeniably lifeless. If his precious humans ever discovered what he was they’d undoubtedly reject him, just as he too had always rejected monsters. They were abominations. _He_ was an abomination. Izaya didn’t know what was worse, the fact that he had died or that there was a part of him that was actually relieved. As ridiculous as it was, he couldn’t help feeling reassured to find out he’d never _truly_ die. But this had never been the plan. He was supposed to live on forever in Valhalla _as a human._ Was his quest for immortality even worth it if he had to sacrifice his humanity in exchange? Izaya didn’t know the answer. He was still terrified of the nothingness that awaited true death. But he also wondered if everything would be better if he just snapped the switchblade right now and be done with it.

His palm was slick and his knuckles were stiff from the unrelenting grip on his switchblade. But Izaya couldn’t bring himself to either tighten his grip or loosen it, trapped in an indecisive struggle over the continuation of his very existence. Izaya was startled to find silent tears making their way down his cheeks but he didn’t move to wipe them away. He let them fall until he didn’t have any more tears left. The informant stayed that way until sunlight spilled its way into the room and his switchblade disappeared from his numb fingers.

********

Izaya was gone when Shizuo woke up the next morning. He glanced blurrily around the room for any sign of that familiar coat but found nothing. Shizuo jerked into alertness as his mind caught up with what that meant. Dammit, that flea bastard! Shizuo attempted to calculate how many hours ago he last saw Izaya, trying to figure out how many hours he might have left before he got sick. The flea’s scent in the room was still strong, so he couldn’t have left more than a few hours ago. Luckily he didn’t have work today. That gave Shizuo plenty of time to track the vampire down. It was bad enough that he had to stick with the bastard but now he had to chase after him too. Not that that was anything new, he supposed, but the flea had a head start and that just made it more annoying.

He roughly pulled on his shoes before heading for the door, surprised to find Celty’s shadows were still intact. Izaya must have gone out one of the windows, Shizuo realised, pushing an experimental kick at the door but the black netting didn’t budge. There’s no way the flea managed to get through that. He headed back towards the living room in search of the window Izaya used, only to freeze as he caught sight of a small black figure in the far corner of the room. Shizuo recognised the cat instantly, a sigh of relief escaping him that was definitely for his own wellbeing and _not_ for the flea. Although the cat was clearly awake he looked pretty out of it. Izaya wasn’t even looking at him, his red eyes simply staring blankly at the wall opposite him. Something about the vacant look in the cat’s eyes made Shizuo feel uneasy.

Shizuo slowly made his way towards him, his instincts telling him it would be a bad idea to startle Izaya right now. The cat continued to ignore him as he approached and the frown on Shizuo’s face deepened. Shizuo wasn’t even sure he’d seen the flea blink since he’d started looking at him. Izaya looked more like a stuffed cat than an actual living, breathing animal. In fact, he didn’t think the flea was even breathing either. It was really creepy. Shizuo carefully reached out a hand towards him, trying his best to be gentle because he genuinely didn’t want to hurt an animal no matter what kind of asshole personality resided inside. But the moment the tips of his fingers brushed the top of the cat’s head, Izaya’s whole body flinched away.  
“Don’t touch me!” Izaya hissed at him, both figuratively and literally. Shizuo pulled his arm back, not sure if he was more startled by Izaya’s sudden movement or his outburst.

“So you _can_ talk while you’re like that. That’s a shame, I liked you better when you were just a cat,” Shizuo complained, genuinely disappointed. There was nothing endearing about Izaya’s annoying voice and it completely ruined the cat’s cuteness.   
“I’d like you better as a corpse, but we can’t all get what we want, Shizu-chan,” Izaya snapped back. Izaya glared down at his feline body in dismay, “I can’t believe this happened again. I forgot to ask Celty about it last night. Hopefully she’ll know how to reverse it.”  
“Do you have to? I like you better like this. It makes it easier to crush you,” Shizuo chuckled darkly, cradling a hand around Izaya’s tiny skull and giving it a gentle shake.  
“What part of ‘don’t touch me’ do you not understand, you Neanderthal?” Izaya growled, swiping at Shizuo’s hand but the blonde barely felt the claws against his wrist. He let go anyway, pitying the little cat as it struggled against his iron grip. He wasn’t even trying that hard to hold him. It seemed Izaya’s strength was definitely weakened in this form. Shizuo made a mental note.

“Oh what a cute kitty!” Shinra’s voice startled them and they turned to watch him enter the room with Celty close behind.  
“Don’t call me ‘cute’, it’s disturbing,” Izaya demanded, narrowing his eyes at the doctor. Shinra blinked at him owlishly before a thrilled grin suddenly spread across his face.  
“This is fascinating!” he shouted jubilantly, “you _have_ to let me dissect you now. I must know how your body can accommodate such a dramatic change in mass. It’s truly amazing!”  
“If you so much as reach for a scalpel in my presence I won’t hesitate to stab you with it,” Izaya promised him before turning to Celty, “Why is this happening to me?”

[It’s the sun. Like most vampires, Servamps can’t handle direct contact with the sunlight. But unlike normal vampires, they have animal forms that they use to tolerate it. Here this will help for now.] Celty explained.  
She held out her hand and her shadows wrapped around Izaya, growing in shape as they did to form an object similar to a large cocoon. The cocoon then melded into a more humanoid shape, moulding recognisably into Izaya with the hood of his coat pulled over his head. His clothing was noticeably darker than usual but otherwise it looked just like the flea’s normal outfit. There were cloth-like shadows hanging from the edges of his hood, covering his face like a veil. He wondered if Izaya could even see through it properly, but he supposed he must since Celty held up her phone for him.  
[I’ve reinforced your clothes with my shadows and your hood should block most of the sun but I added a face mask just to be sure. It won’t last forever, but it should last long enough to get you safely to Shinjuku.]  

“Like hell I’m following this bastard all the way to Shinjuku. Can’t he just stay with you until Shinra finds a cure?” Shizuo argued.  
“You can’t expect me to just sit around here waiting for Shinra to perform a miracle. I know you couldn’t possibly understand, Shizu-chan, but I actually value my career. I have loyal clients waiting for me to return,” Izaya claimed. Shizuo couldn’t see his face through the veil, but he didn’t need to to know that Izaya was probably smirking at him like usual. He missed the cat version of him already.

********

“What the hell are you wearing?” Namie eyed Izaya’s outfit in distaste, raising an eyebrow when she noticed Shizuo standing behind him complacently.  
“A pleasure to see you as always,” Izaya ignored her question, “Are you going to let me in or do you plan on keeping me out of my own apartment?”  
“Why should I? All I get is a mysterious phone call in the middle of the night with no explanation of your absence. And _now_ you turn up here dressed like that with _him_ of all people,” Namie crossed her arms after gesturing to Shizuo, “You can’t expect me not to be suspicious.”  
“You know I usually appreciate that cynical nature of yours, Namie. But right now it’s just annoying. So if you don’t let me in right now, you can say goodbye to your pay cheque,” Izaya threatened her.  
Namie shrugged indifferently, “Whatever, it’s not like I care if this place gets wrecked anyway.”

She stepped aside to let them in and Izaya was grateful to finally be home. He noted with a mixture of relief and disappointment that Namie had followed the instructions of his text a few hours earlier. There were now several black-out curtains covering the expanse of his enormous window, blocking out both the sun and his grand view of the world outside. He was impressed by how quickly she’d managed to not only purchase the curtains but also set them up. Namie often impressed him but Izaya would never admit such a thing to his secretary. He carefully pulled off his hood along with the veil of shadows and was thankful to find he didn’t shift. At least he knew the curtains worked.

“I suppose you’re not going to tell me where you’ve been all this time,” Namie assumed coolly.  
“So smart, Namie! This is why you’re my valuable assistant,” Izaya cooed, hanging up his coat and settling into his desk. He glanced at Shizuo who had decided to settle upon the couch restlessly.  
“Feel free to watch some television or something, Shizu-chan. I know how agitated beasts can get when they’re bored,” Izaya teased. Shizuo scowled at him but eventually conceded, picking up the remote to idly flick through the channels. Namie was watching Shizuo incredulously, no doubt wondering why he was here and what had happened to his neck. The bandage was clearly visible above the collar of his newly washed shirt and the bloodstains couldn’t be completely removed. Pink stained the previously white material unmistakably with blood. Fortunately she didn’t ask any more questions, Namie wasn’t the type to pry. It’s not like she really cared anyway, the only thing she honestly cared about was her brother. She turned away from Shizuo to regard Izaya evenly.

“I told your regular clients that you were out of the country on business. The new customers I contacted entirely online and managed to fulfil their requests myself. You should contact Shiki as soon as possible, he wasn’t pleased that you didn’t inform him of your leave personally,” Namie told him passively.  
“Well done. I’m surprised you could handle all that by yourself,” Izaya noted, impressed once again.  
“I have a PHD. Do you honestly think playing around with people on the internet all day is hard? Your job is ridiculously easy,” she scoffed and Izaya pettily took back his internal praise.  
“Well if you find my job so easy, then this next assignment should be no trouble at all. I need you to look into Yagiri Pharmaceuticals and find out as much as you can about their latest experiments, particularly the research conducted by Dr Shingen Kishitani,” Izaya ordered her, “It shouldn’t be hard to get the intel since you used to run the company, ne?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, “No.”  
“I don’t think you can afford to refuse your employer, Namie,” Izaya reminded her.  
“Do I really need to remind you why I’m forced to work for you in the first place? I’m wanted by the police. If I return to Yagiri Pharmaceuticals they’ll hand me over without a second thought. Not to mention I no longer have access to confidential files. How do you suppose I get my hands on that kind of information?” Namie insisted.  
“I’m sure a clever girl like you can figure out the semantics,” Izaya said confidently, “But if you’re so concerned, how about I sweeten the deal? I’m not entirely unreasonable. I’ll give you the entire week off with full salary. All you have to do is perform this one task for me. How does that sound?”

She considered his offer for a few moments before replying, “Double salary and I want a bonus for the overtime I had to do in the past month.” Izaya sighed but pulled out his cheque book resentfully.  
“ _Fine._ You know I’m going to go broke if you keep extorting me like this,” he complained.  
She scoffed, “Hardly. I see what those idiots pay you.”  
She snatched the cheque from his hand, packing up her things smugly.  
“Now I can spend even more time with my darling Seiji,” she smiled warmly, clasping her hands together and expressing the first sign of true emotion since he’d arrived. Izaya thought it was a shame that such a capable woman was so perversely obsessed with her little brother. But it was also charmingly human of her so he couldn’t find it in himself to fault her.

Izaya spent the rest of the day re-establishing his online presence, contacting his regular clients and sorting through rumours to determine any important news he’d missed. Namie was right, Shiki wasn’t happy with him at all. But he managed to smooth talk his way back into the mob boss’s good graces. It was almost therapeutic going back to work, Izaya could feel himself calming down ever so slightly and almost forgot about his current condition. That is, until the source of his stress decided to call attention to himself around noon.  
“I’m hungry,” Shizuo announced, “I’m going out to eat.”  
“Take your time~” Izaya called after him but the brute didn’t even glance back at him. If Celty was right about the separation effects then Izaya hoped the beast simply chose not to return at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Almost exactly twelve hours passed before Shizuo returned to Izaya’s apartment building. He couldn’t help putting off coming back for as long as possible, enjoying every moment of separation from his nemesis that he could get away with. It was just past midnight when he trudged his way reluctantly down the ridiculously long hallway leading to Izaya’s apartment. But it was only as he reached the door that he realised his mistake. He should have ordered the flea to come to his apartment in Ikebukuro instead. Now that he’d come all the way here he’d undoubtedly be forced to stay the night at the flea’s apartment. It wouldn’t make any sense to drag them both all the way back to Ikebukuro at this time of night.

He knocked roughly on the door, taking out some of his frustration on the unfortunate surface. He managed to hold back enough that the hinges only rattled in protest and the wood frame remained intact. Shizuo grew more and more impatient as Izaya seemed to purposely take his time getting to the door. When it finally opened, Izaya looked just as unhappy to see him as Shizuo felt to see the flea.  
“Shizu-chan, so you decided to come back after all. How disappointing,” Izaya sighed, stepping aside to let Shizuo inside.  
“I don’t want to be here with an annoying bastard like you either. It’s your fault I’m stuck here in the first place,” Shizuo growled at him. The relentless anger inside him flared just at the sight of that bastard’s arrogant face. Shizuo toed off his shoes roughly, leaving them haphazardly in the doorway in a petty show of defiance. But Izaya simply rolled his eyes in response and kicked them to the side.

“Where am I supposed to sleep?” Shizuo demanded, eager to get out of Izaya’s presence.  
“The couch obviously,” Izaya said, looking at him like he was stupid. Shizuo scowled at him.  
“There’s no way in hell I’m sleeping on the couch. Who knows how long I’ll be trapped in this shitty apartment, I’m not adding back pain to my list of problems,” Shizuo complained.  
“This ‘shitty apartment’ is worth more than you’ll make in your entire lifetime, Shizu-chan. Do you honestly expect me to give up my bed to a beast like you? Dogs aren’t allowed on the furniture, Shizu-chan. You’re lucky I don’t make you sleep on the floor,” Izaya scoffed, crossing his arms and leaning back against his desk to narrow his eyes at Shizuo.

It looked like Izaya hadn’t moved from his desk at all since Shizuo left. Papers were littered over its surface and his computer had more tabs open than Shizuo could count. He wasn’t very familiar with technology, but he still knew that was a bit excessive. It didn’t look like the flea would be going to bed anytime soon and Shizuo wondered how often Izaya even slept. He noted the dark circles under the vampire’s eyes that stood out against his incredibly pale skin. If Shizuo cared he’d tell the bastard he needed to get some sleep.  
“It’s not like you’re going to use it. I know you’re just going to stay up all night on that stupid computer anyway,” Shizuo insisted and Izaya pursed his lips but didn’t deny it. They glared at each other stubbornly for a few minutes, before Izaya finally sighed in defeat.  
“Whatever _._ I should stick to a nocturnal schedule anyway considering I can’t go outside in the day anymore. The bedroom’s upstairs, I’m sure even your protozoan brain can find your own way there. Just don’t get any disgusting monster germs on my sheets. They’re Egyptian cotton,” Izaya huffed with a wave of his hand in the stairs’ direction and turned back to his computer petulantly.

Shizuo would have just preferred Izaya show him exactly where the bedroom was, especially since there were a bunch of doors upstairs. But his snide remark about Shizuo’s intelligence was enough motivation to prove the bastard he could do it by himself. Why the hell did the flea need so much space anyway? He lived alone for god’s sakes. There was absolutely no way that one person needed all of these rooms. Luckily Shizuo didn’t have to search long to find the room Izaya was referring to. It was the only one upstairs that even smelled of the flea. Just as Shizuo expected, the flea probably didn’t even use the other rooms. The bedroom itself seemed to stink less than it should, which confirmed his earlier suspicions about how little Izaya actually slept.

Shizuo took off his sunglasses and folded them into his vest pocket. Carefully tugging at his tie and peeling off his vest, button-up shirt and trousers, he folded them all up neatly and placed them on top of the dresser. As he stood in his boxers, Shizuo realised he hadn’t brought any pyjamas but supposed what he was wearing would do. He could always head back to his apartment tomorrow and grab an overnight bag. He hoped he wouldn’t be staying with Izaya long enough to need anything more than that. Shizuo had work again on Monday and didn’t want to walk all the way to Ikebukuro from Shinjuku every day. He never had the patience for the train. Being trapped in a metal box with a bunch of potentially annoying people was just a disaster waiting to happen.

Shizuo settled himself into the bed, annoyed to find the flea hadn’t been lying about the sheets. They were more comfortable than anything he’d ever hope to afford. He couldn’t help sighing into the soft mattress contently, completely ready to surrender to the pull of sleep after wandering the city for twelve hours straight. That is, until his nose pressed into the pillow and he was overwhelmed by the scent of the flea; the _real_ flea, not the sickly sweet version that his vampirism had produced. It seemed that no matter how infrequently Izaya decided to use it, the bed had still soaked up his scent like a sponge. It filled Shizuo with a familiar blind rage, forcing his muscles into tense awareness. His heart pounded and his hands tingled with the urge to crush something in their grip. But there were no street signs here, no vending machines for him to hurl. Shizuo tried to convince his body to calm down, but his instincts proved stronger than logic.

He lay there for what felt like hours, heavily breathing in the toxic fragrance of his sworn enemy, until he finally managed to settle down enough to drift into a restless sleep. Naturally Shizuo dreamt about the flea that night. Hopelessly chasing after that frustrating smirk, always just beyond his grasp, the echoing tune of Izaya’s laughter taunting him from just a few paces ahead. But Shizuo continued in his endless pursuit, the other man’s name escaping his lips like a promise. He knew that one day their chase would come to an end, that eventually he would catch him with his own hands. It was for that reason that he kept running. He wouldn’t let that bastard get away.

********

Meanwhile, Izaya was also plagued by the scent of his rival. The sweet aroma seemed to fill every crevice of his apartment, as if someone had decided to take advantage of the oven he so rarely used. Why the hell did the beast smell like freshly baked cookies? It was disgusting, yet Izaya felt his stomach groan in blatant want. He couldn’t forget how delicious the brute’s blood had tasted, warm and sweet like sticking his mouth in a chocolate fountain. He was supposed to _hate_ sweets! But of course his archenemy would taste like something he typically hated. It was nothing but ironic that he suddenly found the taste of both irresistible.

Izaya clenched his fists, trying to focus on the screen in front of him. He wasn’t an animal, dammit! He could control these urges, he knew he could. If he just reminded himself that it was _blood_ he was craving, Izaya was sure that his disgust could counteract the hunger inside him. It wasn’t just any blood either. It was _Shizu-chan’s_ blood. He wasn’t going to stoop so low as to feed off a monster… again. But last time hadn’t been his fault! He didn’t know what he was doing. Izaya hadn’t been in his right mind. The informant would have never put his mouth anywhere near that brute if he’d been thinking clearly. He tried to ignore the sudden recollection of him straddling the beast’s chest, his nose buried deep in the crook of Shizuo’s neck and his tongue gliding against the hot skin. That hadn’t been his fault either. These instincts were making him do weird things, Izaya insisted as his cheeks flushed without his permission. This was ridiculous. He hadn’t liked it at all. _He hadn’t._

“Argghh,” Izaya groaned, pressing his forehead to the desk and digging his hands into his hair in frustration. He couldn’t work in these conditions. Why was the beast’s scent so strong? He was an entire level of the apartment away! Could his heightened senses really detect it all the way upstairs? It wasn’t fair. All Izaya wanted to do was get some work done. How was it that Shizu-chan managed to ruin Izaya’s life even in his sleep? Izaya should just head upstairs and slit the beast’s throat right now. It would be over in a second. The wet, hot, blood would flow from his neck in a thick gushing stream, seeping into the sheets and encompassing his bed in that delicious… NO!

Izaya abruptly pushed himself out of his chair, deciding to stretch his legs for a while. He was just tired, that’s all. He hadn’t slept yet and it looked like sleeping was still something his body required. Izaya tried to be relieved at the remainder of the human trait, but it was of little consolation. He’d never been the type to get a full night’s rest before all this happened anyway. Being tired was hardly a new feeling for him, but it seemed that his fatigue was making his hunger worse. His exhausted mind couldn’t concentrate on anything but the smell around him. It was like his body was telling him how to replenish his energy. He wondered if he’d even need to sleep after feeding or if it would recharge his body completely. Well it didn’t matter because he wasn’t going to do it. He was stronger than this!

Izaya paced the room agitatedly, trying to clear his mind of everything except his breathing. He took deep breaths through his mouth, hoping it would mute the smell in the air. But it just made it that much harder as he could almost taste the scent on his tongue. His stomach clenched painfully in recognition and Izaya doubled over, clutching at his midsection tightly. He stopped breathing altogether, blocking off the scent completely. But he could still remember it clearly. It was as if he could still smell it, _taste_ it. If only he could just-  
“Stop,” Izaya ordered himself aloud, he was better than this. He was the great Izaya Orihara, he couldn’t let a little hunger overcome him.

Izaya stomped determinedly towards the kitchen, searching through the cupboards for something to satisfy his growling stomach. Usually he had Namie prepare his meals, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to cook. Izaya used to keep himself and his sisters fed once upon a time. It was a skill that he’d learnt to refine over many years of neglect. But as his eyes passed disinterestedly over the food, he knew it all looked uninviting. It wasn’t what he wanted. But that didn’t stop him from piling his arms full of ingredients and determinedly starting to prepare a meal. Finely chopping the vegetables and tossing them in the bubbling pot of broth, Izaya decided he would eat it even if he had to force it down.

********

Shizuo thought he was still dreaming when he blinked blearily up to find the face of his nemesis frowning down at him.  
“Wake up, Shizu-chan,” Izaya demanded, shaking Shizuo’s shoulders roughly with both hands. Izaya was sitting on his chest again and Shizuo wondered if he’d somehow gone back in time. But nope, this was definitely the flea’s bed. Did the bastard change his mind about letting him sleep here? Had he come to kick him out? Shizuo glanced at the clock in annoyance, realising he’d only had three hours of sleep. He pulled the pillow over his face with a groan of protest and tried to roll over. But as he did Izaya tightened his thighs around his ribcage almost painfully, forcing Shizuo to remain where he was.  
“I said wake up,” Izaya growled impatiently, his voice lacking the usual teasing tone.

“What is it, you bastard? I’m sleeping. Don’t make me kill you so early in the morning,” Shizuo complained, throwing the pillow at Izaya but the flea ducked out of the projectile’s way easily. It buried itself deep in the opposite wall but Izaya didn’t even glance back at it, apparently too preoccupied to care about the damage to his bedroom.  
“I’m _hungry_ ,” Izaya said, narrowing his eyes at Shizuo meaningfully. It took Shizuo a moment to understand but when he did his hand clutched protectively over the bandage on his neck. What the hell did Izaya think he was? He wasn’t some kind of 24 hour blood vending machine. Izaya’s eyes didn’t look dazed like they had last time, so it was clear the flea had come here of his own free will. The least the bastard could have done was wait until the morning and then ask him _politely_.

“Didn’t you say you’d rather die than drink the blood of a ‘beast’?” Shizuo reminded him.  
“I _know_. I already hate myself for even being here, okay? But it just won’t stop. I can’t work like this Shizu-chan. Just let me get it over with so I can move on already!” Izaya pleaded in frustration. It was the most honest Shizuo had ever seen the flea. There was no high and mighty act or knowing smirk in sight. Izaya genuinely looked desperate in a way Shizuo had never seen him before. It felt wrong. Izaya shouldn’t look so human, especially considering what he was asking for, but right then he did. Shizuo was slightly worried the flea might start crying if he continued to deny him for much longer. He supposed he should be glad Izaya had bothered to ask instead of just biting him while he slept.

“… Fine,” Shizuo relented, tugging the bandage loose and dropping it in a pile on the bedside table. Izaya’s gaze went a little hazy as he took in the sight of the dried blood covering the healing wound, but Shizuo shook his head.  
“Nuh uh, I didn’t say you could reopen the wound. Shinra said it needs time to heal. You can bite the other side. But I’m warning you, if you try to maul off my shoulder like last time then I’m never letting you near my neck again. You let go when I tell you to. Got it?” Shizuo ordered Izaya firmly. Izaya didn’t even try to argue, nodding his head and staring at Shizuo’s neck eagerly.  
“Oh… kay. Then I guess you can go ahead,” Shizuo said awkwardly, turning to bare his neck mostly as an excuse to avoid Izaya’s intense gaze. He didn’t understand why his heart decided to start pounding all of a sudden. He wasn’t scared. Nothing scared him. The bite had barely hurt last time. Well not until he tried to pry the flea off anyway. In fact, it had felt so weirdly good that he hadn’t even realised what was happening at first.

“Thanks for the meal~,” Izaya purred, for a moment sounding like his usual self. He placed a cold, steadying hand at the back of Shizuo’s neck before leaning in. Shizuo’s breath hitched when Izaya’s lips made contact, his mouth was like ice against his skin but the touch set his body on fire. Shizuo’s skin prickled with awareness and he fisted the sheets instead of caving to the sudden urge to pull Izaya closer. Shizuo tried to steady his breathing, telling himself it would be over in no time. But instead of sinking his teeth in straight away like the first time, Izaya was taking his time. The vampire teased his pulse with his tongue and gently grazed the sharp points of his teeth against Shizuo’s skin without puncturing it. If Shizuo’s heart was pounding before then it was absolutely racing now. He tried to convince his body to calm down, reminding himself that this was the flea, but it didn’t seem to help. Shizuo had rarely been this close to another person without fighting them, so it was only natural his body would react strangely. It didn’t mean anything, he told himself.

But then Izaya’s teeth finally pushed through his skin and Shizuo’s mind went blank. It was just like the last time, all he could think about was the pleasurable sensation bleeding through his neck. Although, he vaguely realised that it was actually him that was bleeding. But it didn’t feel like he was getting bitten at all. It was more like a soothing ice pack being placed on a bothersome wound. The feeling was both relieving and completely calming at the same time. It was at this point last time that Shizuo had started to resist, but now that he knew what was going on he surrendered to the pull instead. Shizuo felt himself relaxing, his fists unclenching from the sheets to wrap his arms around Izaya’s waist. He unconsciously dragged Izaya closer to him, his cloudy mind searching for more of that feeling. Izaya didn’t pull away, allowing himself to be dragged in willingly. Izaya’s hand slid up his neck, fingers tangling into Shizuo’s hair as he pressed harder into the crook of his neck.

His position on Shizuo’s chest slipped downwards as he did so and Shizuo couldn’t help the groan that escaped his lips as Izaya’s thigh grazed the front of his boxers. He hadn’t even realised he was hard until that moment. Part of him knew something about that revelation should have alarmed him but Shizuo couldn’t concentrate enough to figure out why. Izaya, however, seemed to come to his own senses at that exact instant because the informant froze. Then he pulled back from Shizuo’s neck so fast it was almost like he’d been electrocuted. His pupils were blown and there was blood still dripping down his chin onto Shizuo’s bare chest, but the vampire made no move to clean up the mess as he blinked wide-eyed down at Shizuo. Before the debt collector could even blink back, Izaya was off the bed. His speed left him as nothing but a blur to Shizuo’s eyes as he fled the room.

Shizuo’s heart was still racing and his neck was wet with a mixture of his own blood and Izaya’s saliva as his mind slowly caught up with what had just transpired. Embarrassment and shame filled him as he glared down at his traitorous dick for betraying him like this. He determinedly ignored the aching of his groin as he carefully rewrapped the bandage around his neck. There were probably already blood stains on the sheets but he wasn’t going to give Izaya any more reasons to complain. He didn’t even know how he was going to face the flea tomorrow.

********

Izaya was disgusted with himself. How could he let himself get so carried away with that monster? He’d even gotten hard. Luckily he didn’t think Shizuo had noticed. The beast had probably been too preoccupied by his own erection. God, he could still feel the phantom stiffness against his thigh. What made him feel even worse was that it hadn’t disgusted him at the time. There was even a part of him that had wanted to press back against the hardness again, to draw out more of those noises. But Izaya wasn’t a beast controlled by his impulses, it didn’t matter how good the blood had tasted he shouldn’t have let it affect him physically. It’s not like he got a hard on every time he ate ootoro, for god’s sakes. This reaction was just ridiculous and he blamed it wholly on his vampiric instincts.

There was no way he was actually _attracted_ to that beast, after all. The notion was entirely absurd. Izaya had never been attracted to anyone, regardless of gender. He was above all that. His love for humans was pure and equal. To choose any single one of them to partake in those kinds of illicit activities with was simply out of the question. So to even consider doing that kind of thing with a monster was unthinkable. It didn’t matter that he was technically a monster himself now too, Izaya refused to let himself fall that low. The blood had merely caused his body to react without his permission. It wouldn’t be the first time a rush of adrenaline had gotten him aroused during a fight with Shizu-chan. Shizuo was just the only one who could get Izaya worked up enough to really get his adrenaline going. It didn’t mean anything.

Izaya firmly continued to tell himself that as he willed his erection away. The taste of Shizuo’s blood was still heavy on his tongue. He’d licked his lips and hands clean, desperate for even one last tiny drop of the sweet nectar left. Izaya was already thinking about when he’d be able to bite the brute again, even though the thought of putting himself in that situation again scared the hell out of him. Izaya wasn’t sure how much he’d even drank earlier, losing himself in the mouthwatering flavour. It was probably for the best that he’d stopped when he did. Shizuo might be a monster but even _he_ would die if he was sucked dry. Maybe he should get Shizu-chan a glass of orange juice and a cookie or something? That’s what they did when you donated blood, right? Izaya shoved away the idea quickly. There was no way he was going back into that room anytime soon. He didn’t care if Shizuo passed out from blood loss, that wasn’t Izaya’s problem.

Izaya’s eyes landed upon the abandoned soup dish still sitting untouched on his kitchen counter. He’d only managed to get through two spoonfuls before he’d given up. It’s not like he couldn’t stomach the food, it seemed to go down just fine without any sign of coming back up. But it hadn’t satisfied him at all. It had only made his hunger more and more unbearable. The food didn’t even taste the same anymore, the flavour muted and dull. He wondered if even ootoro would taste bland to him now. That thought alone was almost enough to send Izaya into another breakdown. What was the point of living if everything he loved didn’t interest him anymore?

He hadn’t even had a chance to interact with his beloved humans outside of the chatrooms. He might not interact with them in the daylight ever again. Izaya had once said that late at night was the best time to watch humans, but now faced with an eternity of only darkness he regretted ever thinking that. He began packing away the food in order to busy his hands with something before they began shaking again. Izaya couldn’t let himself dwell on his situation. It wasn’t going to solve anything. There was nothing he could do to change his current condition, but that didn’t mean Izaya had to let it control him. He needed to focus on what he _could_ do. Izaya would continue to live his life and perform his job to the best of his ability. Even if that meant he had to tolerate Shizu-chan and these disturbing urges while he did so.


	8. Chapter 8

It was almost noon by the time Shizuo managed to drag himself out of bed. He knew he couldn’t spend all day in bed avoiding the flea. Izaya would need to sleep eventually and Shizuo wasn’t going to contribute to the flea’s insomnia. Unsurprisingly Izaya was still at his desk when Shizuo came downstairs and the informant barely glanced up at him. There were no pleasantries exchanged between them, no ‘good morning’s or even scathing remarks about being disappointed the other was still alive. He had half expected Izaya to make a crude remark about Shizuo’s reaction this morning, but the flea didn’t comment on it. Somehow that was worse. At least if Izaya had said something mocking he could have reacted in anger like he usually did. Instead the atmosphere between them remained tense and quiet.

“The bed’s all yours,” Shizuo murmured, actively avoiding looking in Izaya’s direction as he did so. The debt collector sat anxiously on the couch, hoping Izaya would take his offer and leave the room. Thankfully it seemed like Izaya had the same idea, because the informant was already packing up his things and heading for the stairs before Shizuo had even finished speaking. He paused at the bottom of the stairs, turning to look back at Shizuo. But he didn’t look directly into his eyes, more just in their general direction.  
“I left some food in the fridge. You can have it since it’s of no use to me anymore,” Izaya said with forced indifference before quickly ascending the stairs.

Now that the informant was out of sight, Shizuo finally allowed himself to relax a little. He’d never felt so awkward around anyone in his life. He couldn’t tell whether he was embarrassed, ashamed or some terrible combination of both. He’d clearly made Izaya feel uncomfortable earlier and for that Shizuo actually felt a bit guilty. Hurting the bastard because they were in a fight was one thing sure, but sexually harassing him was an entirely different matter. Shizuo wasn’t that kind of guy. It didn’t matter that he had no idea why his body reacted like that. Maybe it was a side effect of getting bitten by a vampire? It would make sense if vampires wanted their prey to feel good, since that would increase the chances of them letting the vampire bite them again. But even if that was the case, it’s not like Izaya would know. Shizuo had to accept responsibility for his actions. He felt like maybe he should apologise, but had no idea how to even start such an embarrassing conversation.

He decided to push aside those thoughts for now and check out the food Izaya had left him instead. Part of him suspected it was poisoned, but his stomach was empty enough that he thought it was probably worth the risk. Izaya wouldn’t risk losing his own food source, after all. At least that’s what Shizuo was counting on anyway. The fridge was surprisingly well stocked when he opened it. At the front of the fridge was a clear Tupperware container with some leftover soup inside and Shizuo assumed this was what the flea had been referring to. He poured some into a bowl and reheated it in the flea’s overly complicated looking microwave. Shizuo didn’t flinch as he pulled the burning hot plate from the microwave, his fingers barely registering the pain. It smelled pretty inviting and he confirmed the taste with an eager spoonful of the hot liquid. Wow, it actually tasted really good.

He never suspected the flea might be good at cooking. It messed with the useless image he had of the bastard in his head. For some reason Shizuo had always just assumed the flea lived off take-away food, when he didn’t skip meals altogether that is. Shizuo absentmindedly rubbed at the bandage around his neck, wondering how often Izaya would want to eat nowadays. It’s not like it particularly hurt but he didn’t know how his body would react each time, especially if he needed to do it often. He still wasn’t sure if his reaction was entirely due to the bite. There was a slight chance that he’d just been responding to the stimuli of Izaya sucking on his neck. It’s not like he was in that situation very often.

But that would mean there was a part of him that was physically attracted to the flea and that was ridiculous, right? Okay, sure he’d had some weird dreams about the flea in the past. But what did you expect from the mind of an overly hormonal teenager? Catching the flea had been all he’d thought about back then, so of course the bastard would terrorise his dreams as well. Shizuo didn’t care too much about what that meant about his sexuality. It hadn’t been the male partner that had bothered him after all. It was that they had been about the _flea_. He hated Izaya, he knew that with every fibre of his being. But those kinds of thoughts were supposed to be reserved for someone you cared about, at least that’s what he’d always been taught. So to be attracted to someone he hated so much… maybe he _was_ the beast Izaya always said he was. After all, only a beast would be so consumed by his instincts that he’d be attracted to the first available warm body, even if that body belonged to his sworn enemy.  

He’d thought he’d gotten past these confusing thoughts about the flea years ago. This entire situation was just messing with his head. He needed to remind himself why he hated the bastard in the first place. The flea was bad news. Everything he did was part of some elaborate scheme. He was a manipulative and conniving bastard through and through. Shizuo wouldn’t have been surprised if this entire vampire business had just been a ploy. But he’d seen Izaya’s face when Celty had told him he was a vampire and knew that wasn’t true. Shizuo sighed, placing his now-empty bowl in the sink. All this overthinking was just giving him a headache. He needed some fresh air to clear his head. He still had to walk to Ikebukuro to get an overnight bag anyway.   

********

How was Izaya expected to sleep when all he could smell were Shizuo’s bloodstains on the sheets beside his head? Luckily none of the blood had gotten on his pillow, probably because it had been safely embedded into the wall at that point. But the bloodstains were still close enough to his face to be unbearably distracting. It was making his head spin and his stomach groan, despite having fed only a few hours earlier. Worst of all, his cock was starting to stir with the memory of this morning. Izaya kept his hands firmly by his sides and away from his pants. He absolutely refused to jerk off thinking about that brute. He’d rather suffer through the blue balls. Thankfully even after feeding Izaya’s body was still exhausted from being awake for over 48 hours, so it didn’t take too long before the pull of sleep managed to drag him under.  

_“Come on, Shizu-chan, don’t tell me you’re getting tired already?” Izaya teased the enraged high school boy panting behind him. The school was far behind them by now, their chase having begun almost as soon as the bell had rung. Izaya’s heart was pounding and his breath was coming out in gasps but he had no intention of giving up anytime soon. There was nothing more fun than messing with Shizu-chan and his entire afternoon was free. The beast’s face was as red as Izaya’s shirt as he ripped another street sign out of the ground and flung it in Izaya’s direction.  
“Just shut up and let me kill you, bastard!” Shizuo roared as Izaya dodged the projectile with a delighted chuckle. That strength was just so thrilling! It was almost as fascinating as his humans. If only Shizuo wasn’t such a mindless beast, he could have been one of Izaya’s most interesting toys._

_“Oh Shizu-chan, you’re so funny,” Izaya cackled, smoothly dodging another_ _unidentified_ _object._  
_“Don’t fucking call me that!” Shizuo snapped, getting more and more frustrated as time went on. Izaya, however, was having the time of his life. He wondered how long he’d be able to get away with taunting the beast before he finally went too far. Maybe he could try getting another cut from his blade past the beast’s defences. Then at least he’d probably get to hear that growl of fury again. Izaya deliberately slowed down, allowing the gap between them to shorten before turning around to face Shizuo directly. Izaya smirked at Shizuo as the brute eyed him suspiciously.  
“You know, Shizu-chan, I’m tired of this silly game. Why don’t we just call it a truce, huh?” Izaya suggested, holding out his right hand to the blonde in offering._

 _Shizuo narrowed his eyes at him skeptically but warily reached for Izaya’s hand. Just as the beast grabbed his right, Izaya lunged at him with the knife in his left. It sliced across Shizuo’s chest almost exactly over the previous scar and Shizuo hissed in fury and pain. But to Izaya’s surprise instead of letting go of his hand, the brute simply gripped it tighter. Izaya winced in pain at the crushing grip, regretting letting the beast within touching distance. Shizuo pulled Izaya helplessly forward, slamming him against the nearby wall of a building and trapping him there with the rest of his body. Warm blood seeped through the front of Izaya’s shirt and he was glad that the shirt was already red. Shizuo easily ripped the blade out of his non-dominant hand and threw it further down the alley.  
“Well done, Shizu-chan. You actually managed to catch me. I’m impressed,” Izaya commended, trying not to let panic overcome him. If Shizuo actually wanted to kill him then he would have used the knife instead of discarding it, he reassure_ _d_ _himself._

_A satisfied smile spread across Shizuo’s face as he looked down at his trapped prey and Izaya fought to keep the smirk on his own.  
“Well what now then? Don’t tell me, you were kidding when you promised to ki-” Izaya was suddenly cut off by the brute’s lips crashing over his own. His whole body tensed in shock under Shizuo and he stared wide-eyed at the close blur of the other’s face. His mind tried desperately to catch up with what was happening but to his horror he found himself closing his eyes and kissing back. Shizuo tasted sweet and familiar but he was sure he’d never kissed the beast before. Hell he’d never kissed anyone before. Izaya couldn’t believe the beast had stolen his first kiss. Izaya couldn’t believe he was actually enjoying it!_

_The brute’s tongue teased at his bottom lip and Izaya opened his mouth in response, allowing it freedom to explore his mouth. Izaya knew he should be disgusted but instead he couldn’t help wanting more. Shizuo grabbed the back of his neck, dragging him upwards and Izaya let himself be pulled with it. He kissed Shizuo back deeply, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s neck to stabilise himself as he balanced on the tips of his toes. Shizuo’s other hand moved to the dip of his back, helping Izaya steady himself further. His heart was thundering in his chest faster than it ever had in a chase with Shizu-chan before. Izaya could also feel the pounding of Shizuo’s heart against his chest and it excited him to know that the brute was similarly affected._

_He broke away from Shizuo to catch his breath, finding an older Shizu-chan staring back at him with lust-blown pupils. Izaya noticed that he was wearing his usual fur trim coat and the black shirt he had on remained unstained. The bartender uniform Shizuo wore was also unscathed and Izaya tried to remember why these details were wrong but just couldn’t put his finger on it. Instead he placated the nagging feeling in the back of his head by grabbing two fistfuls of the shirt and pulling it apart roughly to expose Shizuo’s chest. The buttons on the shirt popped off audibly onto the ground around them. There that’s better, Izaya thought to himself in satisfaction as he eyed his handiwork. He traced the faded scar on Shizu-chan’s chest with pride._

_“So all those times you said you wanted to kill me, what you really meant was you wanted to kiss me?” Izaya teased, smirking up at the blonde and licked his own kiss-bruised lips. But Shizuo didn’t react in the rage Izaya expected at the remark nor the damage to his shirt. Instead he simply grabbed Izaya’s hip with one hand and lifted him effortlessly off the ground, putting him at face level with the taller man. Izaya reflexively wrapped his legs around Shizuo’s hips to save himself from falling, but he knew logically the hand gripping tightly against his hipbone was more than capable of holding his full weight. Part of him wondered if there’d be bruises there tomorrow and the idea pleased him more than he’d cared to admit. Shizuo pressed Izaya’s back firmly against the wall and leaned in for another furious kiss. They kissed like they fought. Shizuo was all brute force and passion, while Izaya was teasing and calculated. Izaya determined all of Shizuo’s weak spots quickly and attacked them with precision, delighting in every gasp and groan he could pull from the beast._

_Shizuo’s hips instinctively jerked forward and Izaya became glad Shizuo was holding him up because his knees went weak at the sudden press of their clothed erections grinding against each other. He heard a desperate moan and Izaya was shocked to find it was him who’d actually made the noise. Izaya had managed to remain remarkably quiet until that point but the slip seemed to rile Shizuo up even more. He ground his hips forward determinedly, sending bolts of pleasure up Izaya’s spine with every thrust and he couldn’t help the resulting cries from escaping his throat. Izaya could feel the precome leaking through his underwear and hoped Shizuo didn’t notice how wrecked he was making him. He didn’t know how much longer he’d last before he came in his pants like a damn teenager. Izaya was determined not to be the first to come, because that would mean losing to the brute and that was something Izaya couldn’t tolerate._

_Izaya unhooked his right arm from around Shizuo’s neck without fear of falling and trailed his hand down the brute’s bare chest. He took a little time to indulge himself and explored the unbelievably rigid muscles of the beast’s torso. It felt like there was concrete underneath the soft skin instead of muscle. Izaya was sure he could shove a knife against it with all his strength and the knife would most likely snap first. God, Shizu-chan was such a monster. But somehow that just excited him more. He moved onto his true target, slipping his hand into the front of Shizuo’s slacks to press his hand hard against the bulge in his boxers. Izaya was pleased to find them just as soaked as his own. Shizuo groaned brokenly, pulling away from their kiss to bury his face in_ _Izaya's_ _neck and pant against the sensitive skin. Izaya flashed him a smug smirk relishing in the beast’s reactions as he moved his hand. He wondered if he’d tip the beast over the edge just like this, without directly touching his cock at all._

_The thought that he might not get the chance to touch Shizuo’s cock was disappointing somehow. It should be a repulsive concept but the hardness pressing against his hand was anything but. Izaya wanted to know what Shizuo felt like. Hell he wanted to know what Shizuo tasted like, but that was a little farther than he thought he was ready to venture just yet. He could already tell that Shizu-chan was intimidatingly big, but of course he expected no less from the monster. Izaya decided to stop hesitating and just go for it, he’d gotten this far after all. He dipped his hand inside Shizuo’s boxers and wrapped his hand around Shizuo’s hot length. The skin was velvety soft against his fingers but the member was hard, not as impossibly hard as his chest had been though. Unsurprisingly Shizu-chan’s dick was one of his weak spots. If Izaya had any interest in trying to harm Shizuo at this moment he knew he definitely could. But right then all he was focussed on was causing the brute pleasure not pain._

_It didn’t take long, just a few more rough tugs before Shizuo’s dick twitched against his palm and hot liquid spilled over his hand. The blonde shuddered against him with an animalistic groan and Izaya worried for a moment that Shizuo might drop him. But of course the brute’s outrageous strength didn’t waver even as his body went slack against him. Izaya wiped his hand clean against Shizuo’s slacks and admired the flushed face of his enemy.  
“Looks like I win, Shizu-chan~” Izaya chimed, grinning up at the other man triumphantly. His own cock was still rock hard and ached for more attention. But Izaya didn’t even care if he got off at this point, seeing Shizu-chan succumb to pleasure all because of him was satisfying enough. Shizuo frowned at him but appeared too satisfied to bother getting angry at the comment._

_Shizuo gently lowered him back to his feet and although Izaya’s legs were still a little shaky he refused to let it show. Now that his head wasn’t clouded by the brute’s kisses, Izaya’s mind was quickly starting to catch up with his actions and he was beginning to feel embarrassed. He subtly tucked his erection into the waistband of his jeans and decided it was about time he made his escape. Running would be difficult in his current state but he was sure he could still outrun Shizu-chan._  
_“Well as interesting as this turn of events was, I think we should get back to hating each other, ne?” Izaya suggested, turning on his heels to leave. But he was stopped by the unbreakable grip of Shizuo’s hand clamping around his wrist.  
“Who said we were done, Flea?” Shizuo growled, pulling him back to the wall._

_“Don’t tell me Shizu-chan wants to go again already, how much of an insatiable beast are you?” Izaya laughed nervously but Shizuo ignored him. The brute determinedly reached for Izaya’s jeans, unbuttoning them before the informant could ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. Izaya wasn’t dumb enough to let Shizuo touch his dick, he didn’t want it being ripped off because the beast couldn’t control his strength thank you very much. But Izaya’s words got caught in his throat as the blonde settled onto his knees in front of him.  
“Can I?” Shizuo paused, looking up at him for permission. Izaya was surprised Shizuo had the sensibility to ask. He knew this was his chance to back out but he found he honestly didn’t want to. Izaya nodded his head vigorously, not trusting himself to speak. His breath hitched in anticipation as Shizuo tugged his dick free, the slight friction against his aching member catching him off guard. Izaya then watched in disbelief as his nemesis of so many years took his cock eagerly into his mouth. _

_Izaya choked out a moan as the impossible heat of Shizu-chan’s mouth enveloped his member. He reflexively gripped a hand tightly into Shizuo’s blonde locks, tugging at them probably painfully tight but the brute didn’t complain. Shizuo’s ridiculous strength held his hips to stillness, which Izaya was grateful for because instinct made them jerk forward and the last thing he needed was to infuriate Shizuo by choking him on his cock. Shizuo teased his length with his tongue, taking him further into his mouth with each bob of his head. Izaya was uncomfortably aware of how thin the ice he was standing on was, having Shizuo so close to such a vulnerable part of his body. It would take no effort at all for the beast to clench his teeth down hard on Izaya’s dick if he so pleased. But despite the tense caution filling him, Izaya couldn’t help losing himself in the sensations. He’d never experienced such unbridled pleasure and his mind was going fuzzy with it. It didn’t matter whose mouth it was any more than it mattered where they were._

_Izaya could feel his climax rushing towards him and his body tensed as he_ _spiralled over the edge._  
_“Oh god, Shizu-chan,” Izaya cried, trembling as he came into Shizuo’s mouth. He was surprised to find Shizuo swallowed the liquid without complaint before gently pulling his mouth free of Izaya’s limp dick. Shizuo smirked up at him and Izaya couldn’t keep his eyes off his cum stained lips.  
“Who’s the winner now, huh Izaya?”_

Izaya woke up panting and with an uncomfortable stickiness in his underwear. What the actual fuck? Izaya knew that dreams were a bunch of nonsense, but this was the worst one yet. He couldn’t believe he’d actually had a wet dream about Shizu-chan! Izaya Orihara didn’t have wet dreams. Usually he was better than those baser urges, but apparently not anymore. Was it his new vampiric instincts messing with his head? He had fallen asleep while physically reacting to the smell of Shizuo’s blood, so surely that must have had something to do with it. But then again he hadn’t drunk Shizuo’s blood in the dream. He hadn’t even wanted to. They’d both been human. Well if you could even count Shizu-chan as human.

This was the second time his body had betrayed him like this in less than a day and both times Shizu-chan was to blame. Izaya groaned, pressing his pillow over his face in frustration only to flinch away from it as he breathed in the scent of Shizu-chan. Not the smell of his blood, but his usual scent. Izaya was sickened with himself that he could recognise the difference. He wasn’t a beast like Shizu-chan. Izaya didn’t want the nose of a bloodhound. He didn’t want to know what someone smelled like, especially not his worst enemy. But he couldn’t escape it. The smell was all over his bed. It mixed with his own scent in a way that pleased Izaya on a primal level before he managed to snap himself out of that bizarre thought.  

Izaya was not attracted to that beast. He wasn’t! So why was his body doing this to him? It was like his subconsciousness was deliberately trying to make his situation worse. He _knew_ that he’d be trapped with Shizuo for the unforeseen future, so of course he’d start having these thoughts now. He was trying to sabotage himself. If he couldn’t man up enough to actually kill himself, then his mind would trick him into driving Shizuo to do it. That had to be it. No good would come from seducing that brute, he’d kill him whether he intended to or not. The beast couldn’t control his strength so it was suicide to even consider initiating a physical relationship with him. Not that Izaya was even considering it!

He couldn’t let this get to him. It was just a dream after all. It wasn’t real. There was no way Shizuo would ever initiate a kiss like that. Nor would he ever willingly get down on his knees in front of him. Izaya knew that. But that didn’t stop him from recalling how erotic Shizuo had looked with his cock in his mouth. Izaya was relieved that it was still too soon for his dick to react to the image because he didn’t want to deal with another unwelcome erection. Izaya didn’t have time to deal with a malfunctioning body right now. He had enough issues going on with the loss of his humanity without adding extreme horniness to the list.

Izaya determinedly dragged himself from the bed, stripping off his sheets and undressing the pillow from its case. He had to clean his soiled clothes anyway, so he might as well get rid of the beast’s scent entirely while he was at it. He hoped he didn’t encounter the brute on his way to the laundry room but he covered the wet patch in his pants with the piles of blankets just in case. Izaya didn’t know what time it was but he hoped the brute had enough sense to be out of the house right now. He didn’t know if he had the patience to interact with him normally so soon after that dream.


	9. Chapter 9

It was late again when Shizuo made it back to Izaya’s apartment. He figured he should probably wait at least until the sun set before returning, just in case Izaya was still sleeping when he returned. Shizuo couldn’t get into the apartment without the bastard since he didn’t have a key. Besides it’s not like Shizuo minded having an excuse to be apart from Izaya. Each moment away from the bastard was a relief, despite technically inching him closer to his death with every hour that passed by. Izaya didn’t bother greeting him as he opened the door. He barely glanced at him, simply abandoning the door to return to his desk almost as soon as Shizuo had stepped inside.

Shizuo had almost forgotten about the awkwardness between them. It felt like it had gotten even worse while he was away somehow. Not being a very patient man, Shizuo knew he wouldn’t be able to stand this atmosphere for much longer. He hated the flea’s voice and all the bullshit that always came with it, but he’d prefer it to this unbearable silence. A quiet flea was just disconcerting and it filled him with nothing but dread. Shizuo was an upfront person and he wholeheartedly believed that being open and honest was always the best option.  
“Oi Flea, we need to talk,” Shizuo said, leaning against the back of the couch to face Izaya directly. Izaya’s fingers froze over his keyboard and his eyes flickered to Shizuo with an alarmed expression before he forced an indifferent mask over his face. His eyes didn’t leave the screen as he replied.  
“Talk about what?” Izaya shrugged with forced nonchalance.

“You _know_ what,” Shizuo growled impatiently, “we can’t just pretend like this morning never happened.”  
“Oh that,” Izaya sighed. His shoulders relaxed noticeably and Shizuo wondered if he really hadn’t understood what the blonde was referring to. Shizuo tried to figure out what other topics might have made Izaya nervous but came up blank. He brushed it off, focussing on the task at hand.  
“Yes, _that._ I know what happened made you uncomfortable and I wanted to make sure you knew it wasn’t intentional. I’m not even sure why it happened,” Shizuo rambled, feeling his cheeks go hot.  
“There’s nothing to talk about Shizu-chan. I assume it was the first time a beast like yourself had gotten so close to another person. Of course your touch starved body would react in such a way. There’s no need to be embarrassed, so don’t worry your tiny brain about it,” Izaya snickered.

“Don’t be a bastard. I’m not gonna let you put all the blame on me. The bite made my body feel weird, your saliva’s probably drugged or something,” Shizuo snapped, pushing away his embarrassment to frown at Izaya accusingly. Izaya laughed, turning to face Shizuo with true amusement. Shizuo couldn’t even feel relieved that Izaya was finally looking him in the eyes again, because the way he smirked at him was already starting to piss him off.  
“Are you accusing me of roofying you, Shizu-chan? What kind of man do you take me for?” Izaya scoffed, raising an amused eyebrow at him. Shizuo frowned and crossed his arms in exasperation.  
“That’s not what I meant and you know it, Flea. Look I’m just saying we should at least acknowledge this kind of stuff so it’s not so weird next time,” Shizuo insisted. Izaya’s smile grew even sharper.

“My aren’t we eager? I thought I’d at least have to convince you a bit before you offered your neck to me so readily,” Izaya smirked, trailing his eyes purposely over the bandage around his neck. Shizuo clutched the latest wound protectively, his neck tingling slightly with the memory of Izaya’s lips and teeth against the tender skin. He refused to admit he was tempted by the offer.  
“I didn’t mean right now, you greedy bastard,” Shizuo denied him and Izaya pouted exaggeratedly in disappointment. At least the flea seemed to be acting like his usual melodramatic self again.  
“You’re such a tease, Shizu-chan. Lucky for you I’m still satisfied from this morning,” Izaya huffed, turning back to his computer indignantly. Shizuo rolled his eyes at the sulking flea, not at all swayed by the childish act. It didn’t feel so awkward between them now and he was glad. He much preferred it when they bickered like this to the tense silence from earlier.

Satisfied that they’d managed to clear the air Shizuo decided to drop the bad news. He knew the flea wasn’t going to like what he had to say and mentally prepared himself for an argument.  
“Don’t stay up too late tonight. You need to come to work with me tomorrow,” Shizuo ordered.  
“Excuse me, why the hell would I do that?” Izaya scoffed incredulously.  
“My shift’s already twelve hours long and that doesn’t even count the time it would take me to get all the way back to Shinjuku. I’m not getting sick just because you didn’t want to come with me. You did it before and you can do it again,” Shizuo told him firmly. Izaya narrowed his eyes at him.  
“You know I don’t have Celty’s shadows to protect me anymore, right? I refuse to go outside with that ridiculous body again,” Izaya whined.  
“Too bad, you’re going or else I’ll call Celty and find out how to command you to do it,” Shizuo threatened. Although he really hoped it didn’t come to that. He hated the idea of robbing someone of their free will, even someone as despicable as the flea. Everyone deserved that basic human right.

They stared at each other defiantly for a few tense moments, waiting to see who would fold first. Finally Izaya sighed in frustrated defeat and Shizuo knew he’d won.  
“ _Fine_. But if I have to go to bed earlier now then I’m taking the bed. You can spend tonight on the couch,” Izaya demanded in one last show of defiance. Shizuo decided it was a reasonable sacrifice. He could survive one night on the couch. Shizuo was planning on making the flea stay at his apartment for the rest of the week anyway. He wasn’t going to walk an hour to work every morning just because the flea decided to live so far away.  
“That’s settled then. I’ll wake you up bright and early tomorrow morning,” Shizuo smirked triumphantly. It wasn’t often that he won a verbal argument against the flea. He had to admit it felt pretty damn good. Shizuo could feel Izaya glaring daggers at his back the whole time he walked up the stairs, but it did little to dampen his mood.

********

Izaya retired to his room not long after Shizuo had returned to his living room, the brute complaining that the incessant clacking of his keyboard would keep him up all night. The informant was happy to leave, not wanting to spend another moment in the brute’s presence. It wasn’t like he couldn’t work from his bedroom, simply swapping to his phone and scrolling through the chatrooms idly as he settled into bed. The sheets reeked of the nauseously strong aroma of his laundry detergent but at least they no longer smelled like the brute. Izaya had choked on the fumes at first but decided it was better than the alternative. He absolutely refused to be disappointed that the sweet scent of Shizuo’s blood was gone. It was better this way, he told himself firmly. He couldn’t let it cloud his judgement any more.

Sleep didn’t come easy to him, but it never had. Much to Izaya’s relief, when he finally did drift to unconsciousness he didn’t have any dreams. Unfortuantely, that meant it felt like he’d only just closed his eyes before the brute was barging into his room. Shizuo drew open the blinds to spill harsh sunlight onto the bed and Izaya flinched away from the rays as they momentarily scorched his skin. He felt his body shift and the pillow underneath him grew larger than his entire body. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, sinking determinedly into the soft surface. Izaya refused to budge even as the brute began to shake the pillow he was curled up on.  
“Time to get up, Flea. Come on, I told you we have an early morning,” Shizuo ordered impatiently.  
“Don’t just open someone’s curtains so suddenly, you beast. I’m not even dressed,” Izaya grumbled.  
“Well now you don’t have to be,” Shizuo smirked, poking Izaya’s furry ribcage gently in amusement. Izaya swiped at him but he was slower with grogginess and the brute managed to snatch his finger away with a chuckle.

“You should be grateful that I let you sleep this long. We have to go right now or I’m gonna be late. I don’t have time to mess around,” Shizuo told him as he scooped Izaya off the bed and onto his shoulder. Izaya slumped in defeat, knowing resistance was futile at this point. Shizuo could have at least let him wash his face or brush his teeth before dragging him out of bed though. But of course what more could he expect from a beast? He settled himself more comfortably on Shizuo’s shoulder, hoping to catch a little more sleep on the long walk ahead. The brute didn’t complain as Izaya cuddled himself close to the beast’s warm neck. Izaya was surprised to find that he didn’t feel the urge to bite Shizuo, even this close to the bandaged wound. Perhaps it was because he’d fed recently or his hunger was muted in this form. Either were possible but he didn’t really care enough to determine the reason, he was just glad for the peace of mind.  

Izaya let the gentle rocking of Shizuo’s steady strides lull him into a cloudy almost-sleep. At one point Izaya felt a gentle hand stroking over the fur on his head and neck. He flicked an ear in annoyance but refused to let it rouse him. It felt pleasant enough that his sleep-addled mind conveniently chose to ignore the likely source of the touch and allowed it to remain. He also refused to acknowledge the involuntary rumbling that rattled deep in his chest in response to the sensation. Izaya wasn’t sure how long the gentle touches continued like that, but soon enough the touch disappeared. Izaya was left slightly disappointed at the loss but refused to acknowledge it. As far as he was concerned the entire interaction was just part of some bizarre dream.

Later the sounds of voices stirred Izaya out of his doze but he kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep so that he could listen in on the conversation.  
“You’ve still got the cat, I see,” Tom’s voice was laced with amusement.  
“Yeah, it was harder to get rid of him than I expected,” Shizuo sighed loudly beside Izaya’s ear.  
“So you’re keeping it then?” Tom asked, sounding a little hopeful.  
“I didn’t say that,” Shizuo protested. Izaya felt Shizuo’s shoulders start to rise in the beginnings of a shrug before the blonde seemed to catch himself and froze. Izaya deliberately fidgeted a little but didn’t open his eyes and Shizuo’s shoulders eventually relaxed underneath him.

“So what happened to your neck?” Tom asked curiously. Izaya felt Shizuo’s arm move to audibly rub a hand at the bandage on the other side of his neck.  
“Just the usual bullshit,” Shizuo muttered in a clear attempt to brush off the subject.    
“So Izaya’s back in town then,” Tom said. It sounded more like a statement than a question. Shizuo froze at the same moment Izaya tensed, but the cat didn’t think Shizuo noticed.  
“How did you-” Shizuo started to ask but Tom casually interrupted him.  
“Well Izaya’s the only one who’s ever managed to leave a lasting mark on you. So I just figured. I know you hate talking about him, so you don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to,” Tom offered. Izaya felt a little bit of pride swell up in his chest at the comment, despite already knowing it was true.

Shizuo laughed humourlessly, gently scratching the fur on Izaya’s head before saying almost fondly, “Yeah, he’s back.”  
Izaya growled in protest, pulling his head away from the brute’s grasp. He decided he’d heard about enough. The informant didn’t want to hear them blabber on if it wasn’t any useful information. Besides, he didn’t like listening to the brute talk about him as if he wasn’t there. Izaya blinked the blurriness from his eyes and dragged himself into a sitting position. He decided not to arch his back in the satisfying stretch he craved, knowing it would tip his already precarious balance in a bad way. Izaya felt Shizuo’s gaze on him but he ignored him, turning to look at the dreadlocked man instead.  
“Morning little guy,” Tom greeted, smiling gently at him but didn’t make a move to pet him again. Izaya resisted the urge to reply, knowing the consequences wouldn’t be worth seeing the surprised look on Tom’s face. He could admit it would be fairly amusing, but Izaya wasn’t nearly so childish.

“We should get going. Vorona’s waiting for us and you were already late getting here this morning,” Tom suggested, it didn’t sound like he was berating Shizuo at all but Izaya saw Shizuo’s face fall.  
“I’m really sorry, Tom-senpai. I had to walk all the way from Shinjuku this morning,” Shizuo claimed.  
“What were you doing in Shinjuku?” Tom asked, looking at Shizuo in surprise. What an idiot, Izaya thought, why couldn’t the beast just keep his mouth shut?  
“Oh um, I was staying with… a friend,” Shizuo finished lamely. But Tom grinned widely at Shizuo, a knowing glint sparkling in his eyes underneath his glasses.  
“A _friend_ , huh? Good for you, man,” Tom chuckled, punching Shizuo lightly on the shoulder.  
“Uh, thanks. I guess?” Shizuo laughed, sounding unsure, rubbing at where Tom had punched him even though there was no way the blow had even remotely hurt.

Shizuo was clearly too pure-minded to catch onto what Tom was implying and Izaya resisted the impulse to roll his eyes. As if anyone would be stupid enough to let that beast so close. The idea that Shizu-chan could ever find a willing partner to share his bed was ludicrous. Even if that Russian girl Vorona continued to cosy up to the beast, Izaya hoped she had enough common sense to know when to stop if she knew what was good for her. In fact even the thought of the blonde girl actively pursuing Shizuo rubbed Izaya entirely the wrong way. He told himself it was because he loved his dear humans far too much to want any of them subjected to the monster’s ill-advised affection. Of course it had absolutely nothing to do with his dream or the bizarre blood-drinking boner yesterday. Nope, not at all.

Speaking of the Russian beauty, she was waiting for them outside the first client’s apartment just as she had last time. Izaya wondered why she bothered going on ahead every morning. Perhaps she was just a very punctual person. She certainly seemed like the type. She also appeared to take this job very seriously, even though it was just a cover for her currently stalled assassination career. Izaya wondered if Shizuo was even aware that his ‘precious kouhai’ had tried to kill him. Izaya suddenly desperately wanted to tell him, if only just to stir up some trouble. He hadn’t been able to play with any of his humans in so long and was getting a little restless. But alas, as much as seeing Shizuo’s reaction to such news would delight him, Izaya knew it would only cause unnecessary problems.

Izaya decided to stay at a distance from the clients from the beginning this time, considering how badly the other day had gone. But instead of tediously standing in the background with Tom like last time while Shizuo and Vorona threatened them, Izaya decided to amuse himself by searching through their apartments. The first time he’d jumped off Shizuo’s shoulder to explore, Shizuo had berated him for wandering off. But after the third time with no effect Shizuo stopped trying, he knew his complaints would just fall on deaf ears. Izaya was far more amused by the client’s homes than he was of their repetitive pleading. It was amazing how much you could learn about a person from their personal belongings. Sure none of the clients were of any use to Izaya right now, but it never hurt to gather dirt on someone because they might come in handy in the future.

The day passed gradually like that. Izaya wondered how Shizuo didn’t lose his mind from the monotony of it all. It felt like the same scenario repeated over and over. Even lunch had felt pointless to Izaya, as he watched the others eat with complete disinterest for the food in front of him. Shizuo had offered to get him something but the cat had turned up his nose at the offer. He knew the food would just taste bland and lacklustre anyway. His stomach was slowly starting to regain interest as the hours went by, but it was still easy to ignore. Izaya knew he would likely wait until it became painful again before bothering to ask the brute for more blood. He didn’t need Shizuo getting any funny ideas like thinking he held any power over him. Izaya still refused to admit he needed the beast for anything.

Finally the group reached the last client of the day but instead of the usual dingy apartment building, they found themselves outside a nice looking house in a respected neighbourhood. This client didn’t seem to be particularly poor considering the large house, which was a stark contrast to the other clients who all lived in crappy one-bedroom apartments. Izaya was quickly becoming interested in this client and he was eager to look through their things thoroughly. The job started off completely normally. A Caucasian man opened the door, only to refuse them entry upon recognising why they were here. His accent told Izaya he was likely American and that Japanese clearly wasn’t his first language. Izaya didn’t notice anything particularly remarkable about the man. Sure he was rude, but so were most of the Americans Izaya had encountered. There had to be more to him and Izaya was impatient to get a better look inside the house to find it. He didn’t have to wait long because, as he’d done so many times before, Shizuo simply pushed his way past the futile resistance of the door.

Upon first inspection, Izaya found himself immediately disappointed by the man’s home. It looked far too average. Izaya could tell just from a glance that it was a domestic household. The house was neat and gave off a homely vibe that presented the appearance of typical domestic bliss. It was a total cliché. There were traces of a woman’s presence all over the room, which Izaya assumed was the man’s wife from his wedding ring. There was also the much less obvious presence of a child, which was a bit unusual. Typically the signs of a child’s inhabitancy were far more noticeable than their parents', shown by such things as scattered toys or crayon marks on the walls and furniture. But there were shockingly little signs of a child’s handiwork anywhere around the room.   

The man began arguing with Shizuo loudly about barging in uninvited but that didn’t interest Izaya. From what he could tell it sounded like the same tired script as the others. Izaya was determined to find something more interesting about this man. It didn’t make sense that a normal ‘family man’ would borrow money from a loan shark. He had to be hiding something, perhaps a mistress or a gambling habit. Izaya wasn’t sure but he would find out. The voices of Shizuo and the man became more and more muffled as Izaya explored further into the house. He noticed an excessive amount of Christian memorabilia decorating the walls. In fact there were more framed pictures of Jesus Christ than there were of family members. Sure the western religion was extremely rare in Tokyo but it wasn’t completely unheard of, so this only spiked Izaya’s interest minutely.

What did catch his interest, however, was a door at the end of the hallway. It had a large latch on it, the kind you’d generally see on the outside of a storeroom with a heavy padlock securing it. It wasn’t the kind of lock you’d normally see in a home that was for sure. Luckily the padlock was gone, so it didn’t appear to be locked at that moment. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to open the door in his current state. Izaya could see a faint glow spilling from underneath the door. Shadows flickered through the soft bar of light, signifying that the room was occupied and Izaya decided he had to get in there. He attempted to peak under the door, but couldn’t make out anything clearly. He puzzled over the door for a while before settling on a rough plan.

Izaya opened his mouth to let out a meow, slightly disturbed by how easily the sound left his throat. The shadows under the doorway paused, so he did it again. It wasn’t long before he heard footsteps heading towards him. The door opened and Izaya was surprised to come face to face with a young girl around the age of three. She was Caucasian like her father and was wearing a ratty pair of pyjamas. Upon seeing Izaya, the girl’s face lit up and she cried “Kitty” before scooping him up in her tiny arms. It wasn’t the most comfortable of holds, but Izaya bore with it. He always had a soft spot for children ever since raising his younger sisters. Children were the purest form of his dear humans, after all. They unashamedly displayed all the wonderful traits humans ultimately learned to hide and be ashamed of as they got older. They were completely free emotionally influenced beings, not barred by thoughts of social consequences or concepts like morality. Izaya loved them for that.

She carried him clumsily into the room and Izaya felt dread as he looked around the bedroom. It was the gloomiest children’s room Izaya had ever seen. It sooner resembled a prison than a bedroom. There were no toys or stuffed animals anywhere to be found, just a plain dresser and an uncomfortable looking bed. The only windows in the room were a tiny pair of shutters near the roof. Izaya was surprised he didn’t shift with how little sunlight was spilling into the room, but was glad he didn’t. He wouldn’t want to scare the girl like that. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to calm down a crying child quickly enough to not raise unwanted attention. As much as he enjoyed children, he didn’t have much chance to interact with them lately, especially not any this young. Akane was the youngest child he’d had the chance to talk to in quite a while.

The girl babbled at him in a mixture of English and Japanese, of which Izaya could understand both, but it was mostly nonsense anyway. He re-examined the girl more closely while she did so and he noticed she was abnormally thin and her skin was smudged with dirt. Anger began to fill Izaya as he recognised the familiar signs of neglect on the girl in front of him. But Izaya couldn’t understand why she would be treated like this. The home clearly showed signs of both parents being present, so there was no excuse for this kind of neglect. There would be no excuse for neglect even if the parents had been away from the house often, but Izaya refused to bring his own upbringing into it. He wasn’t going to make it feel any more personal than it already did.

Before Izaya could even begin contemplating what to do with this new situation, a furious Caucasian woman stormed into the open doorway. He could hear her yelling before she even entered the room.  
“I told you to keep the door closed! How many times do I have to tell you? Do I need to use the locks again?” she growled but froze when she saw Izaya, “how the hell did that thing get in here?”  
Izaya hissed at her, standing in front of the little girl protectively. But the moment the woman looked into Izaya’s eyes she seemed to go into a frenzy.  
“Demon!” she cried frantically waving her finger at him, “Oh Lord help us! It bears the eyes of the devil!”  
Izaya was taken aback by her words and in his shock she reached past him to wrench the girl towards her. The little girl squeaked in pain at the forceful grip but her mother didn’t falter.  
“I knew it, I knew you were evil! You let him into our house, didn’t you? Answer me!” the woman screeched, shaking the little girl roughly. When she didn’t reply fast enough the mother slapped the girl’s cheek hard, knocking her to the floor. This snapped Izaya out of his stupor instantly, his blood boiling in rage.

This woman was clearly delusional. Accusing cats of being demons and little girls of being evil didn’t strike Izaya as the actions of a rational woman. But insanity was no excuse to hit a child. Izaya growled loudly, before pouncing at the woman and biting the arm that had struck the girl. He ignored the putrid taste of her blood as he determinedly sank his teeth deep into her arm. The woman shrieked, thrashing her arm wildly and managing to shake Izaya off. He landed roughly on the floor beside the girl. The commotion seemed to draw the attention of the others in the house, because hurried footsteps started to thump towards them. The woman clutched her bleeding arm and stared in wide-eyed terror at Izaya as he pulled himself to his feet.  
“Get away from her, Monster!” she yelled, finally showing some semblance of concern for her child. But Izaya didn’t believe for one second that the woman actually cared about the little girl’s safety, he knew a lie when he heard one. She was just covering her ass because they were about to have an audience.

Izaya turned to look towards the little girl with the actual concern she deserved. But his blood ran cold when he was greeted by the same terror he’d seen in her mother’s eyes. Izaya tentatively stepped towards her, hoping to comfort the little girl and show her that he wasn’t a threat. But she flinched violently away from him and began to sob even harder just as the four from the living room joined the mother in the doorway. But Izaya didn’t look at them. He could only look helplessly at the little girl as she looked directly at him and choked out.  
“Monster.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so you may have noticed that it took me longer than usual to post this chapter. Unfortunately Uni has started up again so I won't be updating as frequently. I'm gonna try to aim for one new chapter every two weeks or so, one chapter each month at the latest. Thanks for the patience guys! :)  
> Special thanks to my betareader, zombiesolace. Thanks for always helping me clean up my chapters! :D

Shizuo didn’t know how to process the scene he’d walked into. All signs pointed to Izaya attacking this woman and possibly her child, but that just didn’t make any sense. Izaya may be a conniving son of a bitch, but he never outright attacked his ‘precious humans’ without significant provocation. Shizuo definitely knew Izaya would never purposely hurt a child. None of that was the flea’s style. The girl was still bawling but neither parent moved to comfort her, which struck Shizuo as odd. The mother barely even glanced at her child as she pointed accusingly at the black cat in crazed fury.  
“That beast attacked me! I want it out of my house!” she screeched. Izaya didn’t outwardly react to being called a beast any more than he’d reacted to being called a monster. Usually Shizuo would have enjoyed the irony of Izaya’s favourite insults being used against him. But he couldn’t ignore how pathetic the little cat currently looked curled tightly in on himself, it pulled at his heartstrings. The informant was too still and his gaze was glassy and faraway. It reminded Shizuo of the distant look he’d had that morning at Shinra’s and that made him incredibly uneasy.

Shizuo still wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, but when Izaya’s tiny body started to tremble his protective instincts kicked in.  
“What the fuck did you do to him?” Shizuo demanded, stepping towards the woman menacingly.  
“Excuse me? That thing _bit_ _me_! I didn’t do anything,” she cried in outrage, looking affronted.  
“That’s bullshit. He wouldn’t just bite you for no reason,” Shizuo insisted. He didn’t like the idea of hitting a woman, but she was testing his patience. His gut was telling him not to trust this woman. There was definitely something off about this couple. He’d had a bad feeling ever since he’d stepped into their house. Shizuo knew well enough by now to trust his instincts.  
“Leave her alone! My wife was just attacked by the wild animal that _you_ brought into our home! I could press charges. In fact, if all of you don’t leave right now I’m calling the police,” the husband threatened, stepping in front of the woman protectively. Shizuo reached out to grab the man by the collar but a light hand touched his arm and Shizuo froze to look questioningly at Tom.

“Come on, Shizuo. It isn’t worth it. Besides, it’s getting late. Let’s just call it a day,” Tom reasoned.  
In any other situation, Shizuo might have ignored him but Tom’s words reminded him of another pressing issue he had to consider. Shizuo glanced at the orange glow of the setting sun seeping through the small windows. Fuck, he had to get Izaya out of here soon before he turned back. Shizuo supposed he could ask Izaya what had happened once they were alone. Izaya hadn’t made any attempts to leave the room, which confused Shizuo. He knew Izaya was clever enough to get himself out of there the moment he noticed the setting sun. Something must have really upset Izaya to make him act so recklessly. Shizuo had never seen Izaya upset over anything, not even getting hit point blank by one of his projectiles had left him this shaken up. He pushed down the urge to interrogate the woman again, knowing there wasn’t time. Shizuo plucked Izaya gently off the ground, startled to find the cat was still shaking. He cradled Izaya in his arms, not sure the cat could support himself properly let alone balance on his shoulder.  

The four of them promptly left and Tom apologised to the couple for the trouble but firmly reminded the man that their business was not over. Shizuo immediately made to leave for the direction of his apartment but Tom stopped him again. The blonde glanced nervously at the rapidly setting sun as he turned to his superior. He didn’t have very much time to waste before the light disappeared completely.  
“Look Shizuo,” Tom began warily, “I don’t think you should bring the cat to work anymore. That’s the second incident in two days. I just don’t think the little guy can handle this kind of dangerous work.”  
“But-” Shizuo began to protest but Vorona interrupted him.  
“I agree with Tom-senpai. Cat should stay at home, it is much safer option,” Vorona stated.  
“I know you care about him a lot, but I’m sure he’d be a lot happier that way,” Tom added.  
“I don’t- I mean. Dammit, you don’t understand,” Shizuo huffed in frustration. But he couldn’t stand there arguing, he had to get Izaya out of sight before he changed back.

Shizuo slumped his shoulders in defeat and nodded.  
“Okay, I won’t bring him anymore. Sorry for being a bother, Tom-senpai,” Shizuo replied dejectedly.  
“Don’t worry. I know you didn’t mean any harm by it. Besides I don’t believe for one second that that woman didn’t deserve it. He’s such a complacent cat unless he’s threatened. I know he was probably just defending himself. I’m only looking out for him by keeping him out of harm’s way.” Shizuo appreciated Tom’s concern, even if it was misguided. Izaya could take care of himself. Well he always had until now, Shizuo amended. He looked worriedly down at the catatonic cat in his arms.  
“Thanks Tom-senpai, but I should really get him home,” Shizuo said anxiously.  
“Of course, let me know how he’s doing tomorrow. Poor little guy looks really out of it,” Tom nodded understandingly, looking down at Izaya in concern. Shizuo nodded firmly and bid them farewell before marching quickly down the street.

The light was fading fast and he needed to find an uninhabited place for Izaya to shift. When he spotted an alley up ahead he quickly took the turn, relieved to find it empty.  
“Oi, Izaya are you okay?” Shizuo whispered to the cat but there was no reply.  
“Look we’re alone now so you can talk, okay?” Shizuo assured him. Again Izaya didn’t speak and he didn’t even appear to hear him. Shizuo was becoming more and more agitated by Izaya’s odd behaviour. As the sun finally set and the alley became dimly lit by distant streetlights, the cat in his arms changed back into a human with a puff of smoke. Shizuo noticed with surprise that Izaya was still in his pyjamas, he’d almost forgotten. Unfortunately the humour of the moment fell flat as he noticed the blank look on Izaya’s face. His eyes were empty and unseeing and he was limp like a doll. Shizuo couldn’t tell if he looked paler than usual because of the vampirism or shock. Thankfully Izaya’s full-body tremors had stopped, but the stillness only made him look more lifeless. Now that Izaya wasn’t moving all of his undead characteristics made him seem like a normal corpse.

“Oi Izaya, can you walk?” Shizuo asked uncertainly. Izaya was just as silent as ever, so Shizuo took that as a no. This vulnerable side of Izaya was unfamiliar to Shizuo and it was throwing him off. Shizuo knew he couldn’t just leave the flea in this alley, but he also refused to carry Izaya in his arms bridal-style again. He sighed heavily, deciding a piggyback ride would do. The flea would be dangerously close to his neck again, but Shizuo guessed it couldn’t be helped. At least this way was less embarrassing for both of them. Dammit, if this turned out to be some kind of sick prank the flea was playing then he’d definitely kill the bastard for sure, Shizuo swore to himself.

Eventually Shizuo noticed a familiar sign up ahead and an idea occurred to him. He hoped the flea appreciated the effort he was going through to snap him out of this, Shizuo thought as he ducked into Russia Sushi. He determinedly ignored the questioning stares from the patrons as he headed towards the counter.  
“Shi-zu-o, welcome!” Simon greeted him. He looked curiously at Izaya and a concerned frown fell upon his usually cheerful face. Luckily he didn’t ask about it, simply pressing for Shizuo’s order.  
“Can I have some ootoro please?” Shizuo complied. Izaya didn’t react to the mention of his favourite food. Shizuo tried not to let it discourage him. This was the only way he could think to wake Izaya up without spilling some of his blood into the informant’s mouth.

“Oh my gosh, it’s Shizu-chan and Iza-Iza!” Erika’s voice squealed from the other side of the restaurant and Shizuo groaned.  
“To go,” he added urgently handing Simon the money as the girl eagerly made her way towards him. Kadota and Walker followed reluctantly behind her, flashing him apologetic looks.  
“Oooooh Izaya’s in his PJs! Is he sleeping over?” Erika giggled, winking at him suggestively. Shizuo scoffed and rolled his eyes, he refused to reply because of how accurate her guess actually was. Kadota was eyeing him carefully, the same frown on his face as Simon’s.  
“Say Shizuo, you didn’t actually-I mean, I know you always said you’d do it but…,” Kadota trailed off.  
“What?” Shizuo asked, confused. Kadota didn’t elaborate further but Walker didn’t appear to share the same apprehension. He looked like he found the situation amusing, a wide grin on his face.  
“I can’t believe you finally killed him! Dude you’re even carrying around his corpse, that’s so brutal!” Walker laughed in a maniacal way that reminded Shizuo of Shinra.  

“Huh? What are you talking about? I didn’t kill anyone,” Shizuo hissed defensively. Kadota pulled Walker away from Shizuo protectively, holding out his hands placatingly.    
“Of course not. He was just joking, right Walker?” Kadota elbowed Walker firmly.  
“Ow! Come on, just look at him. He hasn’t blinked at all since Shizuo came in and I don’t think he’s breathing,” Walker maintained, ignoring the warning glare Kadota was throwing him. Shit, Shizuo needed to get out of there before someone tried checking Izaya’s pulse. He wasn’t getting arrested for murder before he even killed the bastard for real. This was just like the flea, he managed to find a way to screw him over without even being conscious.  
“Don’t be silly! Shizuo would never _actually_ kill, Iza-Iza! That’s just something they say to each other as part of their foreplay,” Erika insisted, looking wistfully at Shizuo and Izaya as if they were some adorable couple.

“He’s not dead and that’s disgusting,” Shizuo huffed exasperatedly.  
“Then what did you do to him? He looks pretty messed up,” Walker asked skeptically.  
“I didn’t do anything. Look I’m taking the bastard home because I found him like this and I’m not a total dick, okay?” Shizuo grumbled in annoyance. His patience was already worn thin, the only thing stopping him from grabbing the nearest object and hurling it was the anchoring weight of Izaya on his back.  
“Shi-zu-o, sushi ready!” Simon announced loudly and Shizuo sighed in relief. As he retrieved the small bag, Simon halted him with a firm hand on his shoulder.  
“If Shi-zu-o needs help disposing of,” Simon spoke quietly as his eyes flickered to Izaya, “ _anything_. I am happy to assist.”  
“Thanks Simon, I appreciate the offer but that’s not necessary,” Shizuo assured him but the Russian didn’t look convinced. Shizuo made a mental note to tell Izaya to go to Russia Sushi once he had recovered. He needed Simon to see for himself that Izaya was alive. Well, ‘alive’ was relative at this point but _conscious_ at least.

Izaya didn’t stir the whole walk home and Shizuo’s anxiety grew larger by the minute. If this was a ploy then the informant was very committed and Shizuo doubted even Izaya was that dedicated to messing with him. He did his best to ignore the fearful looks they gathered as he walked by. Shizuo knew it looked really suspicious and was glad the walk to his apartment wasn’t that far. He placed Izaya on the couch once they’d made it into his apartment. Part of him had hoped that simply being in his apartment might wake the flea up, since he still hadn’t filled him in on his plan to stay there. But no such luck. Izaya might as well have been the corpse everyone assumed he was. Shizuo would have been offended that his friends thought he was capable of murder, but he couldn’t exactly blame them. He _had_ spent the better part of a decade swearing he’d kill Izaya, after all. But seeing Izaya like this– pale, unbreathing, unresponsive and so undoubtedly corpselike– didn’t give him the satisfaction he always thought it would. Instead Shizuo’s chest felt tight and he’d never felt more helpless.

********

Izaya had experienced disassociation before. It had been a common occurrence throughout his childhood, particularly when he needed to separate himself from the loneliness of his neglect and the stress of raising his sisters by himself. But it had never felt this severe. Izaya couldn’t feel his body at all. He didn’t have a heartbeat to ground himself, no breaths to steady him. He didn't even need to blink, which was one of the things that usually stirred him out of these sessions. Izaya was detached, drifting alone in a void of nothingness. Sometimes distant muffled sounds would interrupt the immense silence around him. He vaguely recognised the sounds as voices but he couldn’t determine what they were saying or who they were coming from. Eventually the voices stopped completely and he was alone again.

Izaya wondered if this was what it felt like to be dead. He couldn’t make a sound, he couldn’t scream. Izaya didn’t even think he had a body capable of screaming at this point. He didn’t feel like he had a body at all. Did he even really exist anymore? Would his detached consciousness eventually fade away to nothingness in the void around him? Then he would truly be dead, Izaya thought. Maybe that was for the best. The little girl’s terrified voice still haunted him. _Monster_. The word seemed to echo in the vacuum around him. It was relentlessly taunting him, tormenting him, reminding him that the real Izaya was already dead. He was nothing but a monster now. He’d almost let himself forget that.

But this emptiness around him was proof of how far he’d disconnected from his own humanity. He couldn’t feel his body, he couldn’t revive himself. Now he was just a ghost floating aimlessly in the void. When Izaya was younger he’d been able to snap himself out of these trances with ease. He never truly lost himself to the darkness, simply enjoying the calm and quiet with the reassurance that he could return to the real world any time he wanted. Yet now, facing the barren darkness with no guarantee of escape, Izaya began to wish for the simplicity of the old days. Sure he’d been a miserable, lonely child but at least he’d been human. He’d gained what he’d always wanted, he’d gained immortality, but he’d lost the one thing that meant anything to him in the process. And oh how he was paying for his greediness now. It was a cruel joke. He would never die, but he would spend eternity in this darkness alone.

The voices returned and Izaya strained to hear them, desperate for any connection to the outside world. It was only the one voice this time, Izaya soon realised. Something about the tone felt familiar and almost comforting but Izaya couldn’t place it. The words were indistinguishable, stifled yet booming as if someone was yelling at him underwater.  
“Flea, I need you to wake up!” Suddenly the words were clear as day, piercing through the darkness. Izaya was violently jerked back into his body, his breath catching in a startled inhale as he tried to make sense of the world around him. He was seated on a cheap sofa and Shizuo was crouched in front of him, his hands gripping his shoulders firmly and a worried look on his face.

It took Izaya a moment to collect his thoughts enough to realise they were in Shizuo’s apartment. This fact should have bothered Izaya, but he was still reeling from his forceful awakening to remember why. It infuriated Izaya that Shizuo had used his involuntary obedience against him again. Sure he was relieved to be out of that state, but that didn’t mean he appreciated being controlled by the brute.    
“Izaya, can you hear me?” Shizuo asked him carefully. Izaya nodded numbly, not trusting himself to be able to speak just yet. Shizuo sighed and let go of his shoulders to slump forward, resting his forehead on the couch beside Izaya’s thigh and obscuring his face from Izaya’s view.  
“You fucking scared the hell out of me. Don’t do that shit again,” Shizuo huffed, but there was no real malice in his voice. He sounded relieved. Izaya didn’t know how to feel about that. He’d never had anyone worry about him before, let alone his worst enemy. It wasn’t unpleasant but he knew better than to trust it entirely.  

Shizuo lifted his head, seeming to perk up suddenly, as he turned to grab a plastic bag on the coffee table behind him.  
“Here, I got you this. I thought it might be able to get through to you but it didn’t work,” Shizuo mumbled, avoiding his eyes as he placed the bag in Izaya’s lap. There was a plastic rectangular container inside and Izaya quickly recognised it as a packet of sushi. Inside there were several pieces of ootoro from Russia Sushi. He blinked at Shizuo in surprised disbelief. He hadn’t thought Shizuo knew his favourite food.  
As if reading his mind, Shizuo continued with a shrug, “You always got ootoro whenever Simon forced us to eat together in high school, so I figured you must like it a lot.”

Izaya eyed the sushi warily, not sure if he was brave enough to try it. His track record with food lately hadn’t been good and he didn’t know if he could handle having his favourite food disappoint him.  
“It’s not poisoned if that’s what you’re worried about,” Shizuo assured him. Izaya didn’t know how to explain his concerns to Shizuo and he wasn’t sure he even wanted to. Izaya had already showed enough weakness in front of Shizuo today. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he reached for a piece. It smelled delicious, but so had the karaage chicken. He couldn’t trust the flavour until he tasted it properly. Izaya slowly brought the sushi to his mouth and took a hesitant bite. As soon as the food touched his tongue he felt his heart sink. It tasted bland, just like all the other foods had.

Izaya was surprised to find tears welling up in his eyes. Dropping the half eaten piece back into the container, he numbly placed it onto the coffee table. Izaya couldn’t even muster the willpower to hide his tears from Shizuo as they began falling heavily down his cheeks. He shook with sobs as he allowed himself to break down, hugging his knees tightly to his chest.  
“Shit. Izaya please don’t cry. Fuck I don’t know what’s going on with you but you need to tell me what to do,” Shizuo begged him. Izaya felt a familiar weight against his arm from his pyjama pants’ pocket and he knew what had to be done. Izaya pulled the weapon out with a trembling hand, his fingers clenching momentarily around the switchblade before he placed it into Shizuo’s hand. He gently folded the blonde’s fingers around it, trying desperately to ignore the fear building inside him.  
Izaya swallowed past the lump in his throat and looked directly into Shizuo’s eyes as he choked out, “Shizu-chan, I need you to kill me.”

********

“What?” Shizuo flinched away from Izaya in surprise. Izaya’s face was grave and tears continued to spill steadily down his cheeks but Shizuo had never seen him look so serious.  
“I need you to kill me,” Izaya repeated firmly, but his hand shook as he pointed to the knife. Did Izaya really expect him to kill him just like that? Just stab him and move on? What the fuck?  
“No. I’m not going to kill you,” Shizuo said, trying to hand the knife back but Izaya refused to take it.  
“Why not? It’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?” Izaya hissed at him in frustration. Shizuo could see Izaya was quickly falling apart and it pissed him off that he was so worried about the bastard. He was supposed to hate him, yet here he was denying the one thing he’d claimed to want for years.

“You’re unbelievable. I can’t count the amount of times you’ve tried to kill me, but the one time I actually ask _you say no_. What, do you want me to beg? I bet you’d love that. Is that what you want, huh monster?” Izaya snapped viciously. Shizuo knew what Izaya was doing. He was trying to make him angry, hoping he would fall into one of his usual rages. Truthfully it might have worked a few days ago. But now all it did was make Shizuo more and more certain that he couldn’t kill him.  
“I’m not going to kill you, for fuck’s sakes!” Shizuo shouted back, throwing the knife roughly away from him to clatter loudly across the floor behind him. Izaya flinched violently at the sound as if Shizuo had physically struck him. His eyes desperately searched for the knife, his body only seeming to calm down when he caught sight of the blade lying haphazardly on the ground a few feet away. Shizuo cradled Izaya’s face firmly in his hands, forcing his gaze back to him. The tears had finally stopped but his cheeks were still damp.

“Dammit Flea, just tell me what’s wrong,” Shizuo huffed softly, feeling worn out. He didn’t know what was wrong with Izaya and he didn’t know how to help. It made no sense that he’d want to help the bastard, but dammit _he did._  
Izaya’s eyes went wide and he appeared to fight himself momentarily before his lips fell open and his next words tumbled out like a waterfall, “That girl was right, I’m a monster. I shouldn’t even be alive. I’m not human anymore. I’m just an animated corpse. There’s no point in living if I don’t have my humanity. I was so afraid of dying, you know? It scared me so much that I was even trying to become immortal before this happened. Ironic, isn’t it? I’ve finally achieved what I tried so desperately to become but it means nothing now. Being human was the only good thing about me and now that’s gone. I’m even more of a monster than you are. At least you’re still _human_.”

They were both shocked to silence at the outburst. He’d never heard Izaya so honest before. Hell he’d never thought he’d ever hear Izaya admit that he was human. Everything the flea had just said rang true, but that didn’t mean Shizuo agreed with him. He knew better than anyone what it was like to hate yourself for being a monster. Shizuo wasn’t going to let Izaya kill himself over the same self-loathing he’d struggled with for years. The bastard was stronger than that, dammit.  
“Look, Izaya-” Shizuo began softly.  
“Shut up!” Izaya hissed at him, slapping Shizuo’s hands away from him furiously. “You think I want your pity? Just because I’m forced to do everything you say it doesn’t mean you can make me do whatever you want. You think now that you’ve made me spill my guts to you that we’re suddenly friends? I still hate you, Shizu-chan, don’t delude yourself into thinking any differently.”

Izaya was visibly seething but at least he sounded a little closer to his old self. Shizuo didn’t understand what he’d done wrong. He hadn’t meant to control Izaya, he didn’t even know he could.  
“Izaya I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I don’t even know how I did it,” Shizuo defended. He felt guilty about controlling Izaya, even if it was an accident. Shizuo knew how much Izaya hated to show his emotions, so being forced to open up to him like that must’ve been really difficult.  
“I’ll try not to do it again,” Shizuo promised him. Izaya eyed him warily for a few moments before sighing heavily.  
“Flea,” he said so softly that Shizuo wasn’t sure he’d heard him correctly.  
“What?” Shizuo asked, frowning in confusion.  
“It happens when you call me 'Flea'. According to Celty it’s the new name you gave me. Every time you call me ‘Flea’ and tell me to do something, I’m forced to do it,” Izaya elaborated tiredly.

Any other time he might have thought it was funny that his nickname for Izaya had become his new ‘name’. But Shizuo knew that it was dangerous for Izaya to willingly give up this information to him. He was Izaya’s enemy, after all. Izaya knew that Shizuo could easily use this against him if he wanted, yet he had decided to tell him anyway. Either he’d decided he could trust Shizuo not to abuse it or he just didn’t care about his wellbeing anymore. Shizuo feared it was the latter. Izaya seemed completely drained. It was like he had just given up altogether. He was broken.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to start one of my assignments today and instead I finished this. I'm both guilty and totally unashamed. Enjoy guys! xD

Izaya was a coward. He couldn’t even _pretend_ not to feel relieved when Shizuo refused to kill him. The informant hadn’t been able to force the words from his throat, couldn’t bring himself to properly explain that Shizuo needed to break the knife. There was no denying that Izaya craved death in this moment, but there was a much larger part of him that still feared it. His fear was overwhelming, despite knowing what needed to be done. When Shizuo threw the knife it had been as though Izaya’s still heart jerked in panic. He knew with Shizuo’s strength that the knife could be easily shattered with such a careless toss. Yet despite all odds, and to Izaya’s immense relief, the knife had remained intact. His first instinct was to lunge for it, to ensure the knife’s safety with his own hands, but Shizuo had forced his attention back to him before he had the chance to move. 

The knife was forgotten as Izaya unwillingly revealed his deepest fears to his worst enemy. Izaya had never felt so vulnerable and exposed. He hated it. He hated _Shizu-chan._ Why couldn’t the beast do as he was told? If only he had killed Izaya when he’d asked then the informant wouldn’t feel like this. He almost hoped that Shizuo would command him to die again, now that Shizuo knew how it actually worked. Izaya wondered if the command would overrule the need to break the knife. Or would it force Izaya to snap the knife himself? Probably the latter, Izaya reasoned. There was no way he’d be able to find the courage to snap it on his own. Izaya knew he was far too cowardly to go through with it alone. But Shizuo hadn’t ordered him to die. He hadn’t ordered him to do anything. He had frowned, looking at Izaya with far more concern than the brute had any right to.

The tense silence between them now dragged on. Izaya’s hand started to twitch as he was reminded of his need to retrieve his knife. If he couldn’t commit to dying then the least he could do was make sure he didn’t lose the object keeping him alive. The longer he spent apart from the switchblade the more anxious he became. Shizuo must have noticed his growing agitation because he followed his gaze to the knife. He reached for it before Izaya had the chance and he tried not to let terror fill him as Shizuo’s hand clamped around the handle. If Shizuo’s monstrous strength crushed the knife then that was fine. In fact that was what he wanted, Izaya reminded himself firmly. Even so, he still couldn’t help wanting the blade out of Shizuo’s clutches.  
“Well if you’re not going to kill me, then I’d like that back if you don’t mind,” Izaya shrugged. He tried his best to sound indifferent as he held out a shaky but expectant hand.

Shizuo considered the knife, trailing his thumb over the Japanese character carved into the hilt, before looking up at Izaya.  
“I’ll give it back if you promise not to stab yourself with it,” Shizuo declared. Izaya rolled his eyes. He was getting tired of this attentive act Shizu-chan had adopted. He liked it better when the brute was simply trying to murder him. That at least made sense.  
“Don’t worry, Shizu-chan. Suicide really isn’t my style. You know you’re the only one who’s allowed to kill me. So when you finally wake up and realise that that’s what you want let me know, ne?” Izaya smirked sharply at him, snatching the knife out of Shizuo’s grasp. He shoved the switchblade securely back into his pocket, his grip lingering around the knife. Izaya tried to force his fingers to clench tighter, considering his new strength he knew it wouldn’t take much effort to snap the metal, but as he’d suspected he couldn’t do it. His body wouldn’t obey him.

“Stop saying shit like that, I already told you I’m not going to kill you,” Shizuo growled, the stirrings of a familiar frustration entering his voice. Since when had it become so hard to get Shizuo mad?  
“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe after years of you screaming the contrary,” Izaya scoffed.  
“Shut up, Fl-Izaya,” Shizuo caught himself clumsily, looking sheepish.  
“My how considerate, Shizu-chan. I would have thought you’d enjoy the silence or do you secretly enjoy the sound of my voice?” Izaya mocked.  
“Stop trying to pick a fight with me, bastard. Can’t you just be grateful for once?” Shizuo hissed.  
“Grateful? You can’t even do the one thing I ask! But you want me to be _grateful_ that you didn’t steal my voice again. Hah!” Izaya snapped viciously.  
“Wait, again? What do you mean?” Shizuo asked, frowning.  
Izaya scowled, “Shizu-chan is so stupid. You didn’t think I was so quiet the other day by choice, did you? Don’t you remember saying ‘shut up, Flea’ right before I turned into a cat for the first time? I couldn’t speak for almost an entire day because of your carelessness! And now you expect me to be grateful?” Izaya laughed dryly.

Shizuo’s eyes widened in realisation and his frown deepened, although it seemed this time his frustration was targeted at himself.  
“Shit, I didn’t even notice. I’m sorry, Izaya,” Shizuo murmured regretfully.  
“I don’t want your apologies! I want you to do what I ask. This kind and caring act is disgusting. Stop playing at being human and just do it already, monster. I’m too tired for these games,” Izaya begged him, his voice heavy with exhaustion. Shizuo was silent as he considered Izaya for a few moments. He didn’t lose his temper like Izaya expected. Shizuo stood up, his face set with determination.  
“Get up,” Shizuo said firmly. Izaya narrowed his eyes at him.  
“Why bother asking? You could simply command me to do it,” Izaya muttered bitterly.  
“Just get up,” Shizuo demanded, pulling Izaya to his feet in exasperation. The force of Shizuo’s pull was a jarring reminder of the beast’s strength and Izaya wondered if Shizuo would kill him after all.

********

Shizuo was sick of listening to Izaya’s casual suicidal remarks. He was trying his best to comfort him but the bastard wasn’t cooperating. That didn’t mean Shizuo was willing to give up though. Even if he hated Izaya he wasn’t going to stand by and wait for him to find a way to kill himself. Shizuo was confident Izaya wouldn’t stop until he got his way. Shizuo refused to have that shit on his conscience when he knew he might have been able to prevent it. It was about time he tried a different approach. He dropped Izaya from his grip and smoothly picked up the couch behind him. He propped it over his shoulder and walked it to the edge of the room. He did the same with the coffee table. He paused his rearranging to put the sushi in the fridge; there was no use letting it go to waste. Shizuo went on to clear away the rest of his furniture until there was a large empty space in the middle of his living room.

“What the hell are you doing?” Izaya questioned him finally.  
“Shut up and be patient,” Shizuo replied as he left the room. He pulled the large piece of furniture from his closet as easily as he’d picked up the couch, carrying it over his head as he made his way back to the living room. Shizuo could tell the moment Izaya realised what it was because the informant gave him an incredulous look. He ignored it as he set it up in the middle of the room.  
“Shizu-chan it’s the middle of Autumn, you can’t be serious. It’s nowhere near cold enough to justify a kotatsu,” Izaya protested.  
“It’s impossible to be sad in a kotatsu, that’s what my Mum always told me,” Shizuo insisted.  
“I’m not _sad_ ,” Izaya snorted incredulously. Shizuo took a step back to admire his handiwork.  
“Yes you are, so just be quiet and get in,” Shizuo instructed him with a wave of his hand.

Izaya crossed his arms, looking at the kotatsu skeptically, before eventually sighing and settling himself into the side closest to him.  
“There, happy? Now I’m warm _and_ suicidal.” Izaya rolled his eyes, but Shizuo noticed the informant cuddled deeper under the blue and white checkered blanket almost immediately. This didn’t surprise Shizuo considering how cold the vampire’s skin was now. It was probably a pleasant change for him. Or maybe he didn’t feel temperatures at all anymore. He didn’t know shit about vampires. Either way, Shizuo was determined to cheer the bastard up.

Shizuo crawled into the side opposite Izaya. It was a tight fit considering the kotatsu barely managed to fit his legs when he used it alone. His knees pressed against Izaya’s underneath the table. Neither of them acknowledged the contact.  
“Cosy,” Izaya’s voice was laced in sarcasm, “so do we start drinking hot chocolate and talking about our feelings now?”  
Shizuo did want a hot chocolate now that he’d mentioned it, but he refused to get one because Izaya was bound to tease him if he did.  
“Can you try not to be an asshole for five minutes and just enjoy the kotatsu?” Shizuo retorted. Izaya glared at him but didn’t argue further, sighing heavily and crossing his arms on the tabletop. He leant his left cheek upon his forearm and closed his eyes. His expression didn’t relax at all but at least he appeared to be trying.

They spent the next few minutes in comfortable silence. Izaya had been right, it was too hot for the kotatsu and Shizuo couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable under his full bartender get-up. But if Shizuo could stand shattered bones then he could definitely stand a little discomfort. Besides, Izaya didn’t complain about the heat so Shizuo counted this as a small win. Shizuo still didn’t really understand why it was so important to him that Izaya felt better. It’s not like it was Shizuo’s responsibility to make sure the flea was okay. Hell, it had basically been his job to make sure the opposite for years. But this time was different. This time Izaya wasn’t fighting back. He wanted to be hurt. _He wanted to die._ Even worse, he wanted to die because he thought he was a monster. Shizuo knew what that was like, had struggled with self-loathing for years. He wasn’t going to let anyone else suffer like he had. Not even Izaya.

Shizuo wasn’t sure how to deal with this drastic change in their dynamic. Sure, he no longer wanted to kill Izaya. But there was no denying the immense hatred he still held for the flea. The Izaya he knew was an unbearably narcissistic know-it-all with a god-complex, yet he preferred that to the broken shell of a man in front of him. Shizuo knew that Izaya would be more dangerous than ever once he accepted his new life– death? Whatever it was. He’d always been a formidable adversary but now, with his added strength and speed, Shizuo dreaded the havoc he could wreak on Ikebukuro. It didn’t help that Shizuo’s life now depended on the flea sticking around. If Izaya decided to, he could up and leave whenever he wanted. Shizuo knew Izaya had the wits to disappear if he really wanted to. By the time Celty managed to track him down, if she ever did, it would be too late for Shizuo. That was if the flea didn’t simply drink him dry before leaving. There were so many ways this could end badly for him. It was probably safer to just kill Izaya now while he was complacent. But still, Izaya’s will to live would be returned if Shizuo had anything to say about it. Maybe he really was an idiot.

********

Izaya was really enjoying the warmth of the kotatsu, not that he would ever admit it aloud. He hadn’t realised how cold he’d felt ever since escaping the lab. Sure he knew logically that having no blood circulation would mean he couldn’t produce any body heat, but he’d never realised how much he’d missed that heat until now. Izaya was so damn content that he was sure if he was in his feline form he’d be purring loudly. Thankfully he wasn’t, and as a human he could school his expression to one of neutrality. The last thing he needed was the brute getting smug that he’d had one good idea in his miserable life. Just because he was feeling better physically didn’t mean that Izaya wasn’t still emotionally torn up over what happened with the little girl.

It had hurt, Izaya wouldn’t deny that. But he was also grateful. It was the wake-up call he’d needed. He had been getting too comfortable in these new circumstances. Even drinking blood from his enemy had started to become normal in his mind. Sure the sexual urges that came with it had thrown him off, but the actual act of consuming blood had barely fazed him. Izaya had even started to entertain the idea of remaining like this. The exciting benefits of this new life had enticed him. The strength, the speed, the _immortality_ made Izaya feel so _alive_ that he’d briefly forgotten that he wasn’t. He was dead. His life as Izaya Orihara was over and he needed to accept that. This life was merely a poor imitation of what he’d once been.

Izaya had lost his freedom the moment those goons had gotten the better of him. Sure he’d escaped the lab, but he’d escaped one prison for another. He might as well be shackled to Shizuo at this point. In a way he _was_ , Izaya thought bitterly as he remembered the magical chain biting into his neck. At any moment that chain could come back. Izaya had no idea how they’d gotten rid of it in the first place, let alone what would summon it. Would it come back if he tried to leave? Or did it follow Shizuo’s will? Could the beast call for it at any moment? It’s not like he even needed a chain to control Izaya anyway. Shizuo could tell him to do anything he wanted now. Izaya was just a glorified slave. The chain would be fitting.

“Oi, stop frowning. You won’t feel better if you keep dwelling on bad stuff,” Shizuo complained.  
Izaya cracked open one eye to glare at Shizuo half-heartedly. Shizuo’s face was tinged red and Izaya didn’t think it was from anger. He’d tugged his tie free and it hang loosely from his neck, the first few buttons of his white shirt were undone. The white bandage still obscured his neck from view and Izaya refused to be disappointed with this fact. The brute was obviously hot, of course he’d be in a full-body suit, but he showed no signs of moving from the kotatsu. Izaya couldn’t understand how Shizuo’s mind worked. He still couldn’t believe Shizuo had bought him ootoro. Sure it ended up making him feel worse, but the gesture was clear. Was he really worth all this trouble? What did Shizuo gain from all this?

“All I have to dwell on is “bad stuff”, Shizu-chan. I’m _dead_ ,” Izaya snapped.  
“No you’re not. If anything you’re ‘undead’ or whatever. Dead people can’t talk,” Shizuo argued.  
“Oh yes, that’s so much better! What would I do without your immense wisdom?” Izaya sneered.  
“It _is_ better. You could be dead for real. You said that’s what you feared most, right? Well now you’ll never die! You got what you always wanted and you didn’t have to screw anyone else over in the process. This is probably one of the best case scenarios for your ridiculous quest for immortality. But no, all you can do is focus on the negatives,” Shizuo huffed.  
“That’s because the negatives are pretty fucking significant! I died, Shizu-chan! My heart doesn’t beat anymore. I don’t need to breathe. I’m not _human._ Do you understand what that means?” Izaya hissed, slamming his fist on the top of the table. It shook with the blow but it didn’t break. Shizuo must have deliberately bought a sturdier kotatsu than what was common.

“I understand better than anyone else, you selfish prick! I’ve spent my entire life feeling _exactly_ what you’re feeling right now. At least you were normal at one point. I never had that luxury! But you don’t see me moping around feeling sorry for myself. I choose to live! I push down all that self-loathing so that the people that care about me don’t get hurt as well,” Shizuo growled.  
“Well I don’t _have_ people who care about me,” Izaya couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. Shizuo looked taken aback and then his eyes softened to look at him with pity. Izaya hated it.  
“What about your sisters and that secretary of yours? They must care about you,” Shizuo insisted.    
“They all want me dead. They’d happily team up to take me out,” Izaya scoffed scathingly.

“Fine, then don’t live for them. Live for yourself. You love yourself enough, you don’t need other people,” Shizuo suggested in exasperation.  
Izaya laughed humorously, “If I ever loved myself then it was because I love all humans. But I’m not human anymore.”  
“What do you love about them?” Shizuo asked.  
“What?” Izaya was surprised by the question, no one had ever bothered to ask him that before.  
“What makes you love humans so much?” Shizuo repeated.  
“Well everything! They’re just so interesting. Humans are so predictably unpredictable! They have so many thoughts and feelings, each and every person is a galaxy of possible reactions. No single one is identical and yet they all act so similar. They’re so easy to read and understand because they all try so hard to act the same. It’s amazing!” Izaya knew his eyes were lit up and he probably looked crazed but he didn’t care. He’d never had the chance to explain himself before. It was exhilarating.

“And what makes you any different? Just because you’re a vampire now doesn’t mean it changed who you are. You still have thoughts, right? Feelings? You still spend all your damn time obsessing over humans and you clearly still enjoy it. I can tell just by that look on your face. You’re still the same damn flea that I’ve hated since high school, the only difference now is that you’re a lot harder to kill,” Shizuo told him. Izaya was shocked to silence. He wracked his head for an argument but he couldn’t find one. Everything Shizuo had said was true. His thoughts hadn’t changed since he’d become a vampire and he could still feel. Today had been more than enough proof of that. What _did_ make him different from his beloved humans? Sure his diet was different and he’d gained a longer lifespan, but neither of those things had anything to do with why he loved humans.

But this meant that he didn’t only love humans. If Shizuo, Celty and himself were anything to go by, monsters shared all of the wonderful traits he’d always adored about humans. Did this mean he didn’t just love humans? Could he truly love monsters as well? If that were true then everything he’d ever thought about monsters was wrong. Was there a whole other world out there of interesting beings that he’d been ignoring this whole time? Would he be able to find other monsters to play with as he had with his dear humans? Who knew the fascinating abilities they might possess. Oh the fun he could have with such powerful beings! How many supernatural beings were even out there? He had an eternity now to find out. Izaya couldn’t help getting excited thinking about all the new possibilities he had in front of him. He felt more alive than he had in a long time.

But there was no way in hell that Izaya was going to admit that what Shizuo said had helped him. He tried his best not to let his excitement creep onto his expression as he considered Shizuo. The brute looked determined. He didn’t show any signs of giving up. Izaya was sure that if he found an argument, Shizuo would be ready with another excuse for him to continue living. It was odd how hard Shizuo was trying to keep him alive. Izaya never thought he’d see the day where Shizuo wasn’t trying to kill him. Even more so, he never expected Shizuo to be the person to save his life. It was such a bizarre turn of events. Izaya couldn’t help the mischievous smirk that spread across his face.

“Why are you suddenly being so nice? Just because you popped a boner the other day doesn’t mean we’re lovers, Shizu-chan,” Izaya teased. Shizuo’s face flushed even darker.  
“That’s not what this is about, you pervert,” Shizuo spluttered. Izaya chuckled.  
“I’m the pervert? I don’t think you’re remembering properly Shizu-chan. Should I remind you?” Izaya chuckled, deliberately trailing a foot slowly along Shizuo’s thigh under the table. Shizuo frantically pushed his foot out of his lap and Izaya toppled over at the force. His head hit the floor hard but he barely noticed the pain. Izaya spread his arms out beside him and looked up at the ceiling, surprised to find his body shaking with laughter. He allowed himself to enjoy the feeling for a few minutes before the laughter subsided and he pulled himself back up.

Shizuo’s face was still beet red as he glared at Izaya.  
“Watch it, bastard. I won’t kill you but I will snap your leg if you try that again,” Shizuo warned.  
“Shizu-chan is cute when he’s flustered,” Izaya smirked, amused by the threat. He almost wanted to test him. His leg would heal soon enough anyway. It had been days since their last scuffle, Izaya missed the thrill of being chased. But Izaya wasn’t sure he could push the brute into a fight right now, not while he was so docile. It was a shame.

********

Shizuo had never felt so relieved to hear that bastard laugh. Izaya hadn’t said anything but there was clearly a change in him. Izaya’s smile was genuine as he pulled himself up from the ground. It was so relaxed that it barely resembled the smirk he’d come to know so well. The edges were softer, far less cruel than he’d ever seen it. It made him want to smile back but he managed to reign in that weird urge. He tried his best to school his expression into a glare, threatening him more for the sake of it rather than any actual conviction. He was terrified that Izaya would try it again because he wasn’t sure he had the willpower to push him away again. It was confusing and distressing because Shizuo didn’t quite know what to do with that information.

Shizuo’s heart almost leapt out of his chest when Izaya called him “cute”. What the fuck? Was the flea actually flirting with him right now? Was this really happening? When did their relationship become so twisted that they could _flirt_ with each other? And why the hell didn’t he hate it? Shizuo was too damn hot. He needed to get out of this kotatsu. He was already sweating through his damn clothes. It was probably just the heat messing with his head. That was definitely it. There was no way he was actually affected by the flea’s flirting.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a bit longer to come out than the others but it's the longest so far, so I hope that makes up for it xD

“I’m going to have a shower,” Shizuo announced, as he pulled himself from the kotatsu onto his feet.  
“Would you like me to join you?” Izaya suggested with a playful smirk.  
“Like hell you will!” Shizuo exclaimed, his face burning a dark crimson. Izaya didn’t know why he was teasing Shizu-chan so much tonight but he couldn’t help it. He was in a really good mood after realising his life wasn’t over and messing with Shizu-chan was his favourite hobby. Besides seeing the brute get so flustered was much too fun, it was almost addictive.  
“Kidding, kidding~ Gosh Shizu-chan is so easy to tease. Such a blushing virgin,” Izaya chuckled as if he weren’t a virgin himself. Shizuo glared at him but didn’t deny it. The confirmation pleased Izaya more than he’d care to admit.  
“You better shut the fuck up or I’ll rethink my stance on killing you,” Shizuo huffed before storming out of the room. Izaya laughed at the idle threat, watching the blonde leave. Shizuo clenched his fists as if he wanted to turn around and punch him but he didn’t. So boring~

Izaya scrolled through his phone lazily, trying to amuse himself in some way now that his main form of entertainment was gone. He was pleasantly surprised to find the dollars’ forum was abuzz with rumours about Shizu-chan and Izaya’s apparent demise. Everyone knew about their rivalry, practically every citizen in Ikebukuro has been witness to at least one of their fights over the years. So it wasn’t shocking at all that their minds instantly went to the worst after what they’d seen. It was almost impressive how quickly the news had spread, especially since Izaya hadn’t personally had a hand in spreading it. Several users attested to personally seeing the blonde carrying Izaya’s lifeless body through the streets of Ikebukuro. Others added that Izaya hadn’t been seen around Shinjuku for several weeks. Speculation about his long absence added more fuel to the fire. Many people insisted it must be Shizuo’s doing, assuming the blonde had taken his time killing the informant. Others claimed the Yakuza must be involved somehow and that Shizuo was doing their dirty work.

Izaya chuckled to himself in delight. Oh how creative his beloved humans were! He was tempted to add to the forums. Perhaps send a poor quality photo of his ‘corpse’ in Shizuo’s bedroom? Now that would certainly make the rumours run wild. But unfortunately, Izaya knew it was a bad idea. If Shizuo ended up getting arrested for his murder than Izaya would be stuck without a food source. It was clear that Shizuo’s blood was the only one he enjoyed. Every other human so far had tasted revolting and Izaya couldn’t imagine himself stomaching that disgusting liquid for the rest of his life. Especially considering his life would last for all eternity.

He supposed being a spectator this time would have to be enough. There would be plenty of chances to join in the fun another time. The more Izaya scrolled through the chat, the surer he became that he’d have to make an appearance in Ikebukuro sometime soon. The brute didn’t have a subtle bone in his body. He had to have known it would look suspicious carrying him back to the apartment. He couldn’t understand why Shizuo had risked it. Izaya was sure he wouldn’t have done the same if he were in Shizuo’s position. Hell, he probably would’ve taken advantage and killed him while he had the chance. But now that he thought about it, did he still _want_ to kill Shizuo? He’d accepted the fact that he loved humans _and_ monsters now and Izaya knew he couldn’t kill one of the beings he loved. So surely that would include Shizu-chan too. But admitting he loved Shizuo, even in his head, made his chest clench in a way it never did when he thought of loving his dear humans. Izaya wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the blonde. Maybe he’d stick with no longer wanting to kill him for now.

Shizuo had also admitted that he didn’t want to kill Izaya anymore. So if both of them didn’t want to kill each other, then what did that mean for their relationship? Surely they weren’t friends. The thought alone was ludicrous. Izaya couldn’t imagine himself ever getting in Shizuo’s good graces. But if they weren’t friends and they weren’t enemies, then what did it make them? Izaya didn’t know. They could never be considered strangers and acquaintance was too impersonal a term to describe them. Besides, fighting with Shizuo was far too fun. He didn’t want to give up that part of their dynamic. Even if they weren’t trying to kill each other, Izaya still enjoyed pushing the beast’s buttons and that would never change.

The apartment was quiet, except for the sound of running water from the other room. It sounded much louder to his sensitive ears, as if he were sitting beside a waterfall. The sound was almost soothing in a way. Tired of the forums, Izaya slipped his phone back into his pocket and found himself laying his cheek back against his forearm. He closed his eyes and allowed the heat of the kotatsu and the sound of rushing water to lull him into a deep sleep.

********

Shizuo eyed the bathroom mirror irritably as he inspected the wounds along his neck. The first wound was starting to look a lot better than the mangled mess it had originally been, but it was still pretty bad. Shizuo had accepted that it would probably scar. The second scar the bastard had managed to claim upon his skin, Shizuo thought bitterly. The other wound had already closed over. It was an angry red crescent shape across his skin now, as if Izaya had merely bitten his neck without breaking the skin. He traced his fingertip along both wounds, trying his best not to remember the pleasant feeling of Izaya’s teeth and tongue grazing against his skin.

The shower hadn’t worked to clear his head at all, he was still thinking about the flea. Izaya had been messing with him, he _knew_ that. So why were his words affecting him so much? It’s not like he actually wanted Izaya to follow through with his lewd suggestions. That would be disgusting, he tried to tell himself as he continued to struggle to banish the mental image of a wet, naked Izaya from his mind. He wasn’t a teenager anymore. He couldn’t keep blaming hormones for these thoughts any longer. They had died down considerably since high school, so much so that he’d almost forgotten about them. But recently, especially after what had happened when Izaya bit him, they had returned with full force. Hell, they were worse than before considering Izaya was actively tempting him. Shizuo might have to face the facts. There was at least some part of him that was physically attracted to Izaya. It felt freeing to finally admit it. Of course, it didn’t dismiss the fact that he still hated the bastard. Being physically attracted to the flea didn’t change that. Shizuo was never normal, so why would his attraction be any different? Anger ruled his entire life, so of course the person who made him the angriest would also be the person that turned him on. Typical.

As Shizuo re-entered his bedroom, his eyes landed on the hole in his wall. It felt like it had happened so long ago, not the few days it had actually been. That night had changed so much between them. It was almost nostalgic to see the reminder of what they’d once been. Shizuo made a mental note to get it fixed at some point and wondered if Izaya would still be willing to pay for it. He didn’t think it was likely, not since he’d left his own dent in the flea’s bedroom wall. He supposed they were technically even now. It didn’t matter that Izaya had more than enough money to fix both holes. Shizuo would have to start putting money aside from his next few pay checks. Luckily the bastard hadn’t completely torn through to the other side. He could live with a dent for a few weeks.

Shizuo pulled on his pyjamas roughly, trying his best not to tear them. He supposed he should probably drag the couch back so the flea had somewhere to sleep. There was no way he was letting the bastard take his bed and sleeping next to him was too dangerous to consider an option. He knew now that Izaya was conscious he would likely be pissed that Shizuo managed to trick him into staying the night at his apartment. But it was far too late to head to Shinjuku and the flea had to know that. He’d have to suck it up and stay tonight at least. Shizuo would try fighting for the rest of the week tomorrow. Izaya had had enough stress for one day.  

But he didn’t have to fight the flea, as he found Izaya slumbering peacefully hunched over the kotatsu. He wondered if he should wake him, it probably wasn’t the most comfortable position to sleep in. But Shizuo immediately decided against it. He had never seen Izaya’s face look so peaceful. Sure his face had been blank earlier that night, but the lifeless demeanour had been disturbing. Izaya’s sleeping face looked alive and content in comparison. It was hard to remember why he hated Izaya when he saw him like this. Izaya was much cuter without that annoying smirk ruining his soft features. Shizuo realised with a start that he’d considered the flea cute when he wasn’t in cat form. Maybe admitting to being attracted to the flea had flipped a switch inside him. He hoped it didn’t make him do something stupid. Shizuo was certain Izaya wouldn’t hesitate to cut him if he tried to make any advances on him.

He left a folded blanket and pillow on the table beside Izaya’s head in case he woke up in the night. Shizuo chuckled to himself as he eyed the sleeping vampire. Izaya had mocked the kotatsu but he sure seemed attached to it now. Shizuo was glad he’d brought it out. He couldn’t be sure if it had actually helped in bringing Izaya’s will to live back, but he seemed to enjoy its heat at least. Shizuo couldn’t help a soft smile from forming on his face as he headed back to his bedroom. He hoped Izaya was still asleep when he left for work tomorrow morning. He’d hate for the flea’s annoying personality to shatter the memory of this cute image so soon.

********

Izaya was on the floor when he woke up. His lower half was still curled up underneath the kotatsu’s blanket and he purred contently at the pleasant warmth. He buried under the kotatsu blanket, searching for more of that warmth. The large space he’d entered was suddenly entirely too cramped as he found himself turning back into a human when the blanket swung closed. As relieved as he was to be human again, this situation wasn’t ideal. He couldn’t very well hide under the kotatsu until the sun set. Izaya sighed heavily as he opened the blanket to let sunlight spill in. He padded out from under the kotatsu, spotting a folded blanket on the table. Perhaps he could wrap it around himself. He leapt onto the table with an effortless grace reminiscent of his days performing parkour. Being a cat made his reflexes more formidable, but it was a bittersweet revelation. It wasn’t like he could do anything in this form. He was helpless and Izaya hated it.

Paper crumpled under one of his paws as he landed. The note read: _I’ve gone to work, I’ll be back at lunch so don’t go anywhere. If you mess with any of my stuff while I’m gone I’ll suspend the kotatsu. –Shizuo._ Izaya huffed. It seemed he was stuck in this apartment until the brute returned. Well if he was going to be trapped here he’d rather do so human, Izaya decided. He grabbed the blanket in his mouth and dragged it under the table with him. It was difficult to wrap the blanket around himself considering the limited room he had. Izaya bumped his head and banged his elbow against the roof several times in his efforts. Annoyed and frustrated, he finally managed to bundle himself tightly in the blanket. Unfortunately, it proved useless as he crawled out of the kotatsu only to find his feline form buried in a pile of fabric. He tried not to panic as he wriggled himself out of the suffocating mass. Honestly, how much sunlight did it take? This was getting ridiculous. He was tempted to contact Celty and ask for her to infuse his clothes with shadows again, but his pride wouldn’t allow him. He could figure this out himself. Izaya wasn’t going to let himself be bested by a little sunlight for god’s sakes.

But after an hour with little to no progress, Izaya found himself once again huddled under the safety of the kotastu. He couldn’t believe this was his life now. The great Izaya Orihara forced to curl himself under a kotatsu in order to use his phone with the advantage of thumbs. His ability to do his work was limited without access to his computer, but he was able to check and reply to his emails. Luckily he didn’t have any difficult cases to work on at the moment. Work had been slow since he’d returned and the fact that many people believed he was dead didn’t exactly help with business. Once he’d finished with his emails, Izaya wasn’t sure what to do next. He still had a few hours left before Shizuo returned for lunch. He supposed he could check the dollars’ forums but it was mostly filled with people still going on about his ‘death’. Izaya was no longer amused by their absurd theories. It had started to irritate him. Did his humans really think he was that weak?

Izaya attempted to distract himself from his frustration by focussing on a new project. He began researching all he could find on the Caucasian couple from the other day. He couldn’t understand why people in their position would need to borrow money from a loan shark. The way they treated their daughter also didn’t make any sense. There had to be more to it and Izaya was determined to find out what that was. It was personal now and he would be damned if he’d let them get away unscathed after what they’d done.

********

The living room was empty when Shizuo came home and he felt the familiar stirrings of irritation set into his nerves. Dammit he’d told Izaya to stay here, now he’d have to spend his lunch break hunting the bastard down so he didn’t get sick.  
“Izaya?” he growled, not really expecting an answer.   
“I’m here,” the two words seemed to come out of nowhere. Shizuo ducked his head in the other rooms trying to find the source but the apartment seemed as empty as before.  
“Quit messing with me, bastard. Where are you?” Shizuo huffed in frustration.  
“I’m under the kotastsu,” Izaya sounded similarly annoyed.  
“What the hell are you doing under there?” Shizuo asked, reaching to pull the blanket aside.

He caught a glance of Izaya scowling at him before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. The black cat flicked his tail back and forth along the carpet angrily.  
“Your apartment is too bright, _obviously_. Now put the blanket back, Idiot,” Izaya snapped at him.  
Shizuo shook his head and reached for the cat instead. Izaya swiped at him but Shizuo barely felt it as he dragged the small feline body out from under the kotatsu to place him on the table.  
“I’m not talking to a kotatsu. You can deal with being a cat for a little while,” Shizuo insisted.  
“It’s your own fault for bringing me to this dingy apartment. If I was at _my_ apartment I wouldn’t have to worry about the sunlight. I’m not staying here another night,” Izaya announced.  
“Yes, you are. I’m not walking an hour to work every day. You can deal with staying here another few days. We can go back to your apartment on the weekend, okay?” Shizuo attempted to compromise.

An unhappy growl vibrated through Izaya’s chest as he glared at the blonde.  
“That’s four whole days away! How is it fair that we spend five days at your apartment and only two at mine? My apartment’s much nicer than this and I don’t have to spend the entire day trapped under a kotastu,” Izaya complained.  
“Being a cat isn’t so bad. You can spend the whole day lazing around. You’re the one making it hard for yourself by hiding from the sunlight,” Shizuo argued.  
“How do you expect me to get any work done if I’m like this? I have a job to do. I can’t just ‘laze around all day’, Shizu-chan,” Izaya hissed. Damn, the bastard had a point. Shizuo forgot that Izaya had an actual job. He always imagined the flea simply sat around messing with people’s lives all day.

His curtains were way too thin to keep out the sunlight and he couldn’t afford those fancy blackout curtains that Izaya had installed in his apartment. Still, Shizuo wasn’t the type to give up so easily.  
“So if I find a way to keep you out of the sunlight, you’ll be fine with staying here?” Shizuo asked.  
Izaya rolled his eyes, “I won’t be ‘fine’ with it, but it’d make it more bearable.”  
“Okay then,” Shizuo nodded and went to work. He started by dragging the couch to sit facing the right side of the kotatsu and went on to grab every blanket and sheet he had. Shizuo shooed Izaya off the table. The cat hissed at him but obediently moved to sit atop his kitchen counter instead. Izaya watched him curiously as he built a blanket fort using the kotastu and couch as the base. He used a few wooden pegs to attach the right side of the kotatsu to the ‘roof’ before piling as many blankets as he could on top. Shizuo had made several forts with Kasuka when they were younger and the process felt kind of nostalgic. He was pretty happy with the end result.

He quickly checked the inside to make sure it was shrouded in complete darkness before turning to Izaya with a satisfied smile.  
“There you go, that should keep you safe from the sunlight while I’m gone,” Shizuo said, gesturing to the fort proudly.  
“We’re not children, Shizu-chan. You can’t expect me to spend four days in a blanket fort,” Izaya scoffed but a part of him seemed almost impressed with Shizuo’s quick improvisation. The cat crawled under the blankets to check the interior.  
“Did it work?” Shizuo asked eagerly. He’d put a lot of effort into the fort and it would be pretty disappointing if sunlight still managed to get through.  
“Yeah it worked. It’s a little stuffy in here but I suppose I’ll survive. It’s not like I need to breathe anyway,” Izaya admitted begrudgingly. Shizuo chuckled, imagining that Izaya was probably pouting.

********

Izaya was still in the fort when Shizuo got back from work. He probably hadn’t noticed the sun had set. Shizuo had had dinner before coming home, during which he’d realised it’d been over a day since the flea had fed. Shizuo felt terrible about how negatively the sushi had made Izaya feel. He hoped there was a way he could make up for it. He’d had the idea at dinner and was eager to see if it would work. Shizuo pulled the ootoro from out of his fridge, glancing guiltily at the half-eaten piece that Izaya had abandoned yesterday. Shizuo pulled off the lid with one hand and reached for a knife with the other. Before he could second guess himself he sliced the blade across his index fingertip. Blood spilled from the wound and he dripped it meticulously across the tuna. He made sure that every inch of the meat was laced in the red liquid. Shizuo was surprised the vampire’s sense of smell didn’t immediately detect the blood but he supposed the fort was pretty insulated. Shizuo placed the lid back on the sushi and took care of his finger. A small cut like that would likely heal before the night ended. He put a Band-Aid on just in case.

Shizuo made his way back into the living room and crawled under the fort.  
“No it’s too cramped, go away,” Izaya complained. The fort was pitch black inside, so Shizuo had to feel his way to the couch before settling himself upon it.  
“Shut up. It’s my fort, I built it. I can come in if I want to,” Shizuo retorted. He couldn’t see shit but Izaya must be able to see clearly because he expertly elbowed Shizuo painfully in the ribs.  
“You’re too close, move over,” Izaya whined. Shizuo leaned in the direction of the jab defiantly. His right side pressed against Izaya’s and he could feel the icy chill of the vampire’s skin through their clothes. It was a nice contrast to the stuffy heat of the fort and he was tempted for a moment to stay as they were. But he knew Izaya would likely stab him if he did. He wouldn’t even see it coming in this intense darkness. Shizuo moved reluctantly back to his side of the couch so that they were no longer touching.

“Here.” Shizuo held the container out towards where he assumed the flea’s hands were. He was glad he couldn’t see Izaya’s face because he was suddenly feeling very self-conscious. What if Izaya didn’t like it? What if he thought it was weird?  
“I don’t want it, it’ll only taste bland,” Izaya refused.  
“Just try it. Trust me, okay?” Shizuo insisted. He couldn’t let himself back out now.  
He heard Izaya laugh, “Trusting my archenemy. Isn’t that a hilarious thought?”  
Despite his words, Shizuo felt Izaya take the container and heard him pull open the lid. Shizuo’s heart started to pound with nervousness as he waited for Izaya’s response. Unexpectedly Shizuo heard Izaya groan in appreciation and it sounded far too sexual for Shizuo’s sanity. It definitely didn’t help to hear it in the dark, smothering atmosphere of the fort.   

“So it’s good?” Shizuo asked, trying to sound indifferent. Izaya gave a muffled grunt of confirmation, his mouth full of food. Soon afterwards he could hear Izaya greedily licking the empty container clean.  
“I didn’t think I’d ever enjoy ootoro again,” Izaya admitted softly and after a few moments of silence, “Thank you, Shizuo.” Shizuo felt a pleased smile spread across his face. It was oddly satisfying to hear his full name escape Izaya’s lips.  
“Sure, no problem. I wanted to make up for yesterday,” Shizuo murmured.

The atmosphere in the fort had become thick and almost tangible. It was making his skin tingle in anticipation and he realised he had to get out of there before he did something stupid.  
“A-anyway, the sun’s set so it should be safe to leave the fort now,” Shizuo rambled nervously. He hurried to leave the couch but Izaya grabbed his arm.  
“Wait, I’m still hungry. Can I have some more?” Izaya asked eagerly.  
“I don’t have any more ootoro-” Shizuo began apologetically.  
“No. I meant blood. Can I have some more blood?” Izaya clarified. Shizuo felt a cold hand trail across his shoulder to caress his bandaged neck. He shivered, unable to see Izaya, but that only made the touches more tantalising. His heart was pounding and the heat of the fort was making him feel dizzy. Shizuo knew now that his arousal wasn’t caused by the bite itself, so he couldn’t blame it for his actions. It would be a bad idea to agree, especially with the intimate nature of the fort messing with his head.  

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe I can go out and get some more ootoro?” Shizuo suggested, trying to inch away from the vampire.  
“No, you can’t leave. I need it _now_ ,” Izaya whined, tightening his grip on Shizuo’s arm painfully. Izaya’s voice was low and desperate and Shizuo thought if he could see Izaya’s eyes right now they’d likely be glazed over in bloodlust. He should have realised that giving Izaya a little of his blood wouldn’t be enough to satisfy him. Now that the vampire had tasted it he wouldn’t be satisfied until he drank his fill. Shizuo clenched his hands into fists, trying to resist the urge to pull Izaya closer. Izaya, however, didn’t seem to share his reluctance as he leaned in close and buried his face in Shizuo’s neck. The vampire trailed his nose along the bandage and breathed in his scent greedily.  
“Shizu-chan, please?” Izaya purred, his lips nearly brushing against Shizuo’s earlobe. Shizuo could feel his self-control rapidly draining out of him. It couldn’t hurt to give in, right? He just had to make sure he controlled himself. Shizuo wasn’t a mindless beast, no matter how much Izaya liked to claim he was. Surely he could keep his hands to himself for a few minutes while Izaya fed. Before Shizuo had time to overthink his actions, he tugged the bandage free of his neck.  
“Okay. Go ahead.”

********

Izaya could still taste the mixture of ootoro and Shizuo’s blood on his tongue. It was like the blood had drawn out the flavour of the ootoro, albeit sightly sweeter than was usual. He was glad Shizuo couldn’t see his face as relieved tears had welled up in the corners of his eyes at the familiar taste. He hadn’t realised how hungry he was until the ootoro was gone. He needed more. Shizuo’s scent was suffocating in the enclosed space and his instincts urged him to lunge for his throat. Izaya was surprised he managed to find the willpower to ask first. It had been torture as he waited for Shizuo to give him consent. With each second that passed Izaya grew more afraid Shizuo would continue to refuse and he’d end up biting him against his will.

Thankfully it didn’t come to that as Shizuo finally agreed. Shizuo pulled away the bandage, baring his neck invitingly, and Izaya gratefully climbed into his lap. He had enough mindfulness left in his addled mind to remember to aim for the lesser wound, before burying his teeth deep into Shizuo’s jugular. Shizuo made a surprised grunt and tensed momentarily before relaxing underneath him. Izaya drank greedily, cradling Shizuo’s head in both hands and tangling his fingers in the blonde’s hair. He pressed himself close against Shizuo, noticing that the closer he got the faster his heart would race. Every frantic beat of Shizuo’s heart would pump more of that delicious liquid into his mouth. Soon enough Izaya’s hunger was satiated, the burning need inside him gradually waning. He gently licked the wound until the bleeding subsided. It didn’t take long at all considering Shizuo’s outrageous healing rate. Even once the bleeding stopped, Izaya didn’t want to pull away. His body was hot and Shizuo’s blood rushed through him as if it were his own. He felt alive and restless. His want for blood was replaced with a want of another kind.

He pulled back to find Shizuo’s eyes clenched shut, a frown of concentration furrowing his brow, his hands fisted at his sides. Izaya could feel that Shizuo was hard against him and Izaya was hard himself. The revelation didn’t disturb him as much as it had the last time. Izaya found himself hoping Shizuo would grab his waist and grind against him like he had the first time. Frustratingly the blonde stayed motionless underneath him. Izaya huffed impatiently, realising that if he wanted anything to happen he’d have to initiate it himself. At the thought a sudden nervousness filled him. He’d never done anything like this before, let alone initiated. He knew he couldn’t hesitate, Shizuo would notice soon that he was no longer feeding and if the blonde spoke Izaya was sure he’d lose his nerve. Izaya tentatively leant down to gently place his lips upon Shizuo’s and the blonde tensed underneath him. Izaya wanted to pull back in embarrassment, immediately regretting his decision, but then Shizuo kissed him back. Shizuo eagerly wrapped his arms around Izaya’s waist and pulled him close. Izaya let himself relax into the kiss.

The kiss was clumsy at first, neither of them having any experience, but eventually they fell into a pleasant rhythm. Shizuo was the first to press his tongue cautiously into the other’s mouth and Izaya was surprised to find it wasn’t as unpleasant as he’d expected. Shizuo tasted almost as sweet as his blood and Izaya couldn’t get enough. The kiss wasn’t as desperate and passionate as the one from his dream and for that Izaya was grateful. This kiss was slow and gentle, both of them steadily becoming accustomed to the unfamiliar act. Shizuo’s hands trailed appreciatively along his waist, his fingertips caressing the skin just underneath his shirt making Izaya shudder. The reaction seemed to encourage Shizuo because he slipped his hands completely under his shirt to tease the skin more thoroughly. Shizuo’s left hand caressed Izaya’s spine while the other dragged across his stomach, maddeningly close to the waistband of his loose pyjama pants. Izaya couldn’t help the way his hips jerked receptively and Shizuo smirked against his lips. Izaya would have been annoyed if he wasn’t so distracted by Shizuo pulling their hips flush together to grind back.

They groaned in unison at the contact. Izaya interrupted their kiss to bury his face pathetically in Shizuo’s shoulder, unable to focus on anything except the desperate movement of their hips. Izaya felt like he was going to faint, their laboured breaths surrounding them in the suffocating heat of the fort. Logically he knew he could stop breathing any time he wanted, but in that moment his body felt out of his control. Every breath, every jerk of his hips, every broken whimper that escaped his lips felt like they were being forcibly dragged out of him. Izaya might have been self-conscious if he could bring himself to think clearly. He could feel himself tumbling to the edge embarrassingly quick but luckily Shizuo didn’t seem too far behind. His release hit him like a blow, the air rushing out of him in a choked sob as he shuddered against Shizuo. The friction was almost too much against Izaya’s hypersensitive dick as Shizuo continued to thrust against him. Thankfully it only took a few more thrusts before Shizuo groaned and came as well. Panting against each other for a few minutes, they slowly came down from their high.

As Izaya’s mind began to clear, what they’d just done finally dawned on him. He wanted to be disgusted with himself, wanted to blame the blood for corrupting his mind, but he knew that wasn’t true. He’d _wanted_ this. Oh god, how he’d wanted it. It had been an entirely conscious decision to kiss Shizuo and he couldn’t deny that. Dread rapidly began to fill him as he thought of all the ways this would change things between them. He knew he’d crossed a line that they were never meant to cross. They were supposed to hate each other, for god’s sakes. _This wasn’t something enemies did._ As if sensing the change in Izaya’s disposition, Shizuo frowned.  
“Izaya?” his voice was gravelly but the concern in it was clear. Izaya wasn’t ready to talk about this. He didn’t know if he ever would be. He pushed himself out of Shizuo’s arms before the blonde had the chance to stop him. Shizuo looked around the darkness blindly for Izaya and he took the advantage to escape. He fled the fort and he fled Shizuo’s apartment. His pants clung disgustingly to him as he ran but he didn’t care, he had to get away.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a day late for Izaya's birthday but oh well. Here's another longer chapter for you guys. I have a bunch of assignments due this month so this'll probably be the only update in May. I'm really sorry to make you guys wait but I'll be on holidays midway through June so hopefully chapters will pick up again by then. Anyway, enjoy! :D

Shizuo heard his front door slam shut and he knew Izaya was gone. His instincts urged him to chase after him, to pursue the flea like he had so many times before. But Shizuo couldn’t move. His mind reeled in confusion, trying to catch up with what had happened. The fort was eerily quiet as Shizuo desperately tried to determine where it had all gone wrong. He had thought he’d been doing what Izaya wanted. The other man had initiated the kiss, after all. It had felt so natural that Shizuo had barely questioned it. He hadn’t wanted to. Shizuo should have known it was too good to be true though. Of course Izaya wouldn’t kiss him while in his right mind. The more he thought about it, the more sure he became that Izaya must’ve been under the influence of his blood. Just because the bite didn’t affect Shizuo didn’t mean the same was true for Izaya. Dammit, he’d _promised_ himself he wouldn’t give in to his urges. He really was a mindless beast.

Familiar fury flared inside him and for the first time in days he wasn’t able to supress it. Shizuo stood abruptly and the roof of the fort tore free with him. An animalistic growl escaped his lips as he pulled the blankets off of himself angrily, tearing the material as easily as tissue paper under his fingers. Fresh air hit his face and he squinted at the sudden brightness. It did little to deter his growing anger. Shizuo shredded the blankets furiously until there was nothing left but tattered material scattered around him. It wasn’t enough. All he saw was red and Shizuo couldn’t think past the need to destroy something, _anything_. Adrenaline pumped through him and his hands shook with unbridled rage. Shizuo ached for something more substantial than flimsy material to break under the force of his hands. He reached for the couch and lifted it effortlessly over his head with every intention of hauling it through the apartment wall. However, he managed to remember that this was _his_ apartment right before doing so. This tiny moment of clarity combined with his fragile self-control led to him tearing the couch in half instead. Stuffing from the cushions floated in the air around him like snow before settling to join the mess on his floor.  

He began to pummel the remains of the couch with his fists. Wood and cushion crushed under his knuckles, snapping as easily as twigs from the impact. Yet he gained no relief from the destruction, no peace from the rage steadily burning inside him. Shizuo knew all too well that nothing so simple could quench the fire deep within. Usually his anger would disappear once the catalyst of his rage was gone or when his body broke, whichever came first. Unfortunately this time his rage was directed at himself, so there was no telling how this rampage would end. Perhaps this time it would finally consume him, burn him up completely from the inside out until there wasn’t anything left except the monster he always knew he truly was. Maybe that’s what he deserved.

When there was nothing left of the couch to break, Shizuo lunged for the nearest piece of intact furniture without a second thought. It wasn’t until after his fist had punched through the wooden surface that Shizuo realised what he’d done. He froze, his anger disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared. Regret and grief took its place as he stared at the broken kotatsu. It wasn’t the kotatsu itself that he mourned. It was the loss of what it had represented. The kotatsu had been the turning point for him, the moment he’d realised he didn’t want Izaya to die. It felt like Shizuo had broken the symbol of their fragile friendship and it began to sink in that Izaya might truly hate him now. The thought shouldn’t hurt as much as it did. He’d known Izaya hated him for years and it had never bothered him before. Only a few days ago Shizuo had been convinced he hated Izaya too. Yet now Shizuo knew that the way he felt about Izaya was a lot more complicated than mere hatred.

Izaya drove him crazy and he wasn’t anything close to a good person. Still, Shizuo couldn’t help being drawn to him. He didn’t know what he’d do if Izaya disappeared because of him. Shizuo wouldn’t be surprised if he did. Running away was what Izaya did best. If he didn’t want to be found then Shizuo never would find him. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the fact that Shizuo would die that bothered him about this. It was the thought of never seeing Izaya again. Even considering it left him feeling empty. Izaya had been such a constant in his life for so many years. He was the only person who’d never tiptoed around him. Even his friends and family treated him like a ticking time bomb. He glanced in defeat at the debris around him, a physical reminder of why they were right to be afraid. He’d always be a danger to those close to him. Maybe it was for the best if Izaya didn’t come back after all.

********

In his rush to escape, Izaya pushed his speed to new limits and was surprised to find that it only took ten minutes to reach his apartment. He’d travelled across rooftops and empty back alleys to remain out of sight, but soon realised the caution had been unnecessary. He was nothing more than a blur to anyone who bothered to look up. His parkour skills had significantly improved and the leap between buildings was practically effortless for him now. He was disappointed by how quickly it was over since he’d been enjoying the run. Izaya missed the thrill of being chased, the excitement of running through the streets of the city. He quickly quashed that thought knowing where it would inevitably lead. Izaya wasn’t going to think about him. He refused to acknowledge the guilt and fear nagging at the back of his mind. He would deal with it later, he told himself firmly.  

It was comforting being back in his apartment. He didn’t bother turning on any of the lights, his newfound night vision made them pointless. Instead he drew back the black-out curtains so that he could marvel at the view. The lights of the city shone brightly and he was comforted by the familiar glow. He could stand there for hours watching his humans scurry around the streets below like ants. However, now that he was finally home he could no longer ignore his pressing need to shower. Izaya was eager to use his own shower again. He was used to a certain standard of living and Shizuo’s shower had been a poor substitute. He stripped off his pyjamas gratefully, throwing the soiled clothes in the laundry basket in distaste. He’d never be able to wear those pyjamas again without remembering the feel of Shizuo’s lips and– _No_. He wasn’t going to think about him dammit!

The shower was a welcome distraction. The loud sound of rushing water in his ears made it easy for his mind to go blank. The warm water was hot against his icy skin and Izaya welcomed the heat appreciatively. Izaya took his time in the shower. Meticulously he made his way through his routine. He hadn’t had the chance to wash his hair or shave since this vampire mess started. Izaya had been too depressed to worry about such trivial matters. Surprisingly he noticed no hair had grown back anywhere since he’d last shaved and he assumed this must be a result of his immortality. His body was suspended in time, he wouldn’t age or change in any way from the moment he’d been turned. Izaya felt this realisation should be confronting. He felt nothing but relief.  

Once dressed in his usual attire of dark jeans and a black long sleeved shirt, Izaya decided he couldn’t stand being couped up any longer. He hadn’t been able to play with his humans in weeks. The sun wouldn’t be an issue for many hours and he was going to take full advantage of it. He grabbed his coat and slipped it on gratefully, having a newfound appreciation for the warmth it brought him. He took his time walking at a normal pace back to Ikebukuro this time, wanting to spend as much time with his dear humans as possible. He strolled through the streets, revelling in the surprised glances he drew from passers-by. He didn’t need to check the dollars’ forum to know he would be the main topic tonight. A grin spread across his face as he allowed the sounds of the city to wash over him. This was what he’d been missing, he thought contently, this was where he belonged.

However, Izaya wasn’t aimlessly wandering. No, he had a particular reason for being in Ikebukuro tonight. He thought back on the information that he had gathered on the Caucasian couple earlier that day. It had been hard to find using his phone but Izaya was a professional and he was _very_ good at his job. It had only taken a few hours to find everything he needed to know. He had been right in assuming they were Americans. The couple had moved to Japan less than four years ago for the husband’s work. Shortly before leaving they had adopted a daughter, who Izaya now knew was named Grace. Evidence suggested their family had been entirely normal for these first couple years. Accounts showed they were the typical, boring family their home had suggested them to be. Everything changed when Grace was about two years old.

Her parents stopped talking to their neighbours and Grace was no longer seen outside. Her father continued to attend work but was visibly disturbed and his work ethic spiralled drastically. He often took days off from work with little to no explanation and refused to interact with his colleagues. It had been hard to determine what had caused this change but Izaya knew where to look. Humans loved to talk about things that didn’t concern them and rumours were always a handy source of information if you knew how to determine the truth among the falsehoods. According to reliable sources, it started when Grace began talking in clearer, albeit short, sentences. Grace would often babble about things before they happened, commenting or predicting on something that would later turn to fruition. These events were often negative in nature, such as accidents and natural disasters. Terrified, her devout Christian parents believed their daughter was possessed by a devil and causing these events to happen. In an attempt to stop these misfortunes, they’d started locking their daughter in her bedroom and isolated themselves from those around them. However, no matter what they tried the events always occurred as Grace had hinted.

After a bit more digging, Izaya was finally able to discover why they’d borrowed money from Shizuo’s employer. Apparently exorcisms didn’t come cheap and after a year of concealed horror the couple were desperate enough to try anything. Izaya looked into the “priest” that they’d hired and it was obvious the man was a con artist. After years of manipulating people himself, it was easy to recognise the signs. When her parents realised their exorcism didn’t work, the abuse seemed to escalate. Neglect turned to physical abuse as they punished the child anytime she supposedly caused something bad to happen. It made Izaya’s blood boil reading about it. If the reports about her premonitions were to be believed, he doubted she was possessed by a devil. It was far more likely the girl was something similar to Celty or himself, one of the “monsters” he’d decided to love. Even before he’d committed to loving these beings, Izaya would’ve been against the abuse. No matter what kind of creature she was, no child deserved this kind of treatment. Hell, it wouldn’t be justified even if she _was_ a devil.

It was almost midnight by the time Izaya decided to head for the couple’s house. He knew what he was about to do would be more effective in the witching hour, considering his targets’ superstitious nature. Plus it had been fun spending time observing his humans again. He hoped he’d have more time to do so in the future. Being stuck under house arrest didn’t agree with him at all. If Shingen’s men were still after him then surely they would have shown themselves by now. And even if they were, Izaya was confident he could handle himself. They had gotten lucky last time but there was no way they’d be able to overcome him again, not now that he was more formidable than ever. Shingen was a smart man. Izaya was sure Shingen knew messing with him again was a bad idea. For Shinra’s sake, at least, Izaya hoped he did. He’d hate to have to kill him for doing something needlessly stupid. Oh don’t get him wrong, he was definitely going to make the bastard pay for experimenting on him. However, Izaya had plenty of time for that later. Right now he had more pressing matters to attend to.

Getting inside the house was easy. Picking locks was a cinch when you could hear the tumblers clicking into place. There were no lights on in the house but that was no problem for Izaya’s night vision. He crept silently down the hallway, following the sound of shallow breathing and steady heartbeats. The couple appeared to be asleep. He found their bedroom and slipped inside, confirming his suspicions. Well this wouldn’t do, Izaya chuckled to himself darkly.  
“Wakey, wakey~” he cooed, flicking the switch beside him and flooding the room with light.  
The couple stirred, confusion quickly turning to shock as they noticed the dark figure in their room.  
“Who are you? How the hell did you get in here?” the man demanded, his voice appeared to hold a lot of authority but Izaya knew the threat was empty.  
“What? You don’t remember me? I’m hurt,” Izaya gasped with an exaggerated pout that quickly fell into a malicious smirk, “Maybe your wife will recognise my eyes.”

The woman gasped and clutched her husband’s arm tightly, “Oh my lord, it’s the cat! I knew he was a demon!” Izaya chuckled, walking purposefully forward to loom threateningly over the couple.  
“Not quite but you’re very close. It doesn’t concern you what I am, however, what matters is what I’ve come here _for_.” They stared up at him with wide, terrified eyes and Izaya almost pitied these pathetic humans. _Almost._  
“You’re going to turn yourselves over to the police and tell them how horribly you’ve been treating your daughter or I’ll deliver the information to them myself. I have more than enough evidence to put you two away for many years, I assure you. I’m providing you the courtesy of giving yourselves over because I love humans, even despicable ones like you,” Izaya explained.

“But she’s evil! We’re only doing what’s right!” the woman cried frantically.  
“Your daughter isn’t evil. However, I can assure you that _I_ _am._ If you don’t go to the police willingly, I promise you that your fate will be much worse. I’m a generous man but only to an extent,” Izaya hissed. The man moved out of the bed and Izaya prepared himself for an attack, but the man ducked under the bed instead. This was shaping up to be _too_ easy, Izaya thought in disappointment. It wouldn’t be any fun at all if the couple didn’t at least _try_ to be interesting. Almost as soon as he’d finished that thought however, the man pleasantly surprised him by pulling a gun out from underneath the bed. Oh Americans and their ridiculous love for guns, Izaya thought fondly, the fact that they’d managed to acquire the weapon in this country was admirable in itself. Now this was more like it, finally some fun~

“Now, now. Don’t do anything stupid. Believe me when I say that weapon is useless against me,” Izaya assured him.  
“How dare you come into our home and threaten us! Get out of here or I’ll shoot you, I’m not kidding,” the man growled. Izaya could tell he’d never used it on another human being before as the hand holding the gun was shaking slightly.  
“We both know you’re not going to do that,” Izaya scoffed, stepping towards the man purposefully. Four loud shots assaulted his eardrums as the man pulled the trigger and Izaya grunted as his abdomen was filled with intense pain. He groaned, bringing a hand to his stomach to inspect the damage. It hurt worse than the time he’d gotten stabbed. His stomach felt like it was on fire, but he could already feel the pain steadily subsiding.

 _Clink, Clink, Clink, Clink._ Each bullet hit the ground with a chiming sound as they were forced from his body. Huh, well would you look at that? That saved him the trouble of digging them out later, he thought smugly. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly at the man, snatching the gun from his hand and crushing the metal in his grip.  
“What did I tell you, ne? Now you’ve ruined my shirt for no reason,” Izaya huffed, throwing the now useless gun haphazardly behind him.  
“Oh Lord, save us! The devil has come for us!” the man prayed, moving to cower with his wife.  
“I’m flattered but you’re wrong again,” Izaya smirked. Shooting him was a stupid mistake. The neighbours would undoubtedly call the cops soon. They didn’t even have to turn themselves in now. The police would find the gun and find Grace locked in her room. There was enough evidence in this house to incriminate them without Izaya’s help.

Ah well, he’d given them a chance. That’s the least his dear humans deserved. It wasn’t his fault that these particular humans were too arrogant to take it. As much as he’d love to stick around and continue playing, he knew he had to leave before the cops arrived. He could already hear the sirens heading in their direction. They were much too far away for human ears to detect them, but Izaya wasn’t one to take chances.  
“Luckily for you, I’m not in the mood to kill anyone tonight. So I’ll leave you two with a friendly reminder. If you hurt that child again, I _will_ find out and next time my visit will not be as pleasant,” Izaya warned them. The trembling couple nodded fearfully and the man burst into terrified sobs.  
“Okay, okay, please don’t hurt us,” he whimpered. How pathetic.

Izaya left them, knowing that he didn’t have to worry about them escaping before the cops arrived. They’d be too scared to move for quite a while. He walked confidently down the hallway towards Grace’s room. The large padlock was secured on the outside of the door this time. Izaya resisted the urge to rip it off, knowing the police needed to see it. Instead he picked the lock. This time took longer than the front door but it was still relatively easy to crack. He slipped into the dark room, quietly heading towards the sleeping girl. The last thing he wanted was to startle her. He simply wanted to see her one last time before he went. Izaya had grown fond of the girl, despite how badly their last encounter had gone. He had always had a soft spot for children.

Despite how silently Izaya moved, the little girl stirred at his approach as if sensing his presence.  
She blinked up at him groggily and Izaya expected her to scream but instead she said, “Kitty.”  
She smiled at him and his heart melted. He knelt beside the bed and gave her a soft smile in return.  
“Hello, Grace,” he whispered. She didn’t seem afraid of him and he was glad that the negative impression hadn’t stuck. The fact that she recognised him proved that she was no ordinary human, but Izaya had already guessed that. Looking at her innocent smile, he decided the term monster didn’t seem right anymore. Perhaps he should find another name for these non-human beings. It was definitely something to think about. Perhaps he’d ask Celty later what they preferred to be called.

“I’m sorry I can’t stay long. I wanted you to know that things are going to be better from now on. Those terrible people won’t be able to hurt you anymore. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you find a good home,” Izaya promised her. He wasn’t sure how much she understood him, she was still _so_ young. She eagerly reached out a small palm to pat his hair.  
“Kitty,” she repeated happily. He chuckled gently, allowing the little girl to pet him. He didn’t want to leave but he could hear the sirens getting closer and knew he had to go soon. For one brief moment Izaya allowed himself to imagine what it’d be like to take her with him. He’d raised his sisters so he knew he was capable of raising a child. He thought about what it’d be like to spoil her and give her the life she deserved. And, because he knew he was inevitably stuck with the brute for the foreseeable future, he even allowed himself to think about how Shizu-chan would fit into that. He’d probably be smitten with the little girl instantly. Shizuo was always so charming with children, not that many parents ever let him so close. Before Izaya knew it, a fond smile crept upon his face. But he quickly caught himself, firmly shaking the pipedream from his head.

He knew it would never work. His work was far too dangerous to have a child around, not to mention his current condition made matters even more complicated. He would never age and had to drink blood to survive, it obviously wasn’t an ideal situation to raise a child. She was better off with a normal family, he insisted.  
“Kitty has to go now, okay? You be a good girl. The police are going to take care of you,” Izaya told her sadly. He stroked her cheek affectionately before reluctantly moving towards the door.  
“Bye, bye, Kitty,” she called behind him with an enthusiastic wave and without missing a beat she added, “don’t let him catch you.”  
Izaya froze and looked back at her curiously, but she still had an innocent smile on her face. He shrugged it off. She was just talking about Shizu-chan. It wasn’t anything he didn’t already know, he told himself. Despite this, he still felt unsettled as he locked the door behind him and the feeling followed him as he left the house.

********

Izaya smelled the cigarette smoke the moment he stepped out of the elevator. It was probable that any one of his neighbours could be smoking. Izaya knew better though. He’d recognise that brand anywhere. He knew what he’d find before he even reached his door. Light spilled out from under the doorway even though he’d left his home in darkness. The doorknob hang loosely, his lock rendered useless in the face of brute strength. Izaya took a steadying breath to compose himself before pushing the door open resolutely. Izaya spotted the back of Shizuo’s head from his positon on the couch. Smoke rose steadily from the cigarette he knew was pressed between Shizuo’s lips and Izaya hated how comforting he found the smell. Shizuo didn’t seem to notice his arrival, too lost in his own thoughts. Izaya almost considered slipping back out the door but that would be cowardly.  
“Shizu-chan, what an unpleasant surprise~,” Izaya adopted his usual mocking tone and hoped the apprehension didn’t show in his voice, “Shouldn’t you be in bed? I know you work early tomorrow.”  
  
“Izaya,” Shizuo sighed his name in relief, turning towards Izaya, “I– What the fuck, is that _blood_?”  
Shizuo stood abruptly and walked around the couch towards him, his brow furrowed in concern.  
“Don’t worry, Shizu-chan. The blood’s mine,” Izaya informed him dismissively.  
“How is that supposed to make me not worry? What the hell happened?” Shizuo huffed.  
“Your concern is unnecessary, Shizu-chan. I merely had a little trouble with one of my beloved humans, that’s all. It was no big deal. It’s completely healed, see?” Izaya reassured him, pulling up his shirt to reveal his mended midsection. Shizuo reached out his hand to inspect the damage, cradling Izaya’s waist and trailing his thumb along the trails of dried blood attentively. Izaya couldn’t hide the shiver that ran through him at the gentle touch and Shizuo instantly pulled back his hand as if he’d been burned.  
“Sorry,” Shizuo hissed, taking a large step back and looking extremely guilty. He avoided Izaya’s eyes and fiddled with the cigarette in his hands nervously as he added, “about everything. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that. I feel like shit about it and I wouldn’t blame you if you hate me and never want to see me again. But I needed to apologise first.”

Shizuo was rambling and as much as Izaya usually would have enjoyed seeing the brute so agitated, he couldn’t wrap his head around what Shizuo was saying. What did he mean take advantage of him? The blonde couldn’t seriously be blaming himself for what happened between them earlier, right? Had he forgotten that it was Izaya who’d initiated the kiss in the first place?  
“Don’t be stupid, Shizu-chan. I already hate you. Something so trivial wouldn’t make me abandon you, especially since you’d quite literally die without me. You’re much too fun a toy for me to let you go so easily,” Izaya teased, trying to brush the topic off but Shizuo only looked more pained.  
“Don’t do that. Don’t try to turn this into a joke. _I’m_ _serious_. I know what I did was wrong. Honestly, I wasn’t sure you’d even come home. Part of me hoped you didn’t. The world would be better off without me anyway,” Shizuo confessed solemnly. Izaya could tell that Shizuo truly meant what he said and it made him livid.

Izaya marched towards him and grabbed fistfuls of Shizuo’s shirt, pulling the taller man down to eye level. The words spilled from his mouth before he could stop them, anger that he didn’t fully understand fuelling his actions.  
“What happened to living for the people who care about you, huh? Don’t be a hypocrite, Shizu-chan. Do you honestly think Kasuka or Tom think that way? You’re not going to die over something so ridiculous. As if I’d let you!”  
Shizuo clutched reactively at Izaya’s hands but didn’t attempt to pull them away, “Izaya–”  
“Shut up,” Izaya snapped furiously, “you really are a protozoan. You didn’t take advantage of me. I kissed you because I _wanted_ _to_. Don’t be so arrogant to think I’d ever let you, or anyone, lay a hand on me if I didn’t want them to.”  
Shizuo was staring at him wide-eyed, taken aback by Izaya’s outburst. Izaya could feel embarrassment welling up inside him at the confession but his anger managed to overshadow it.

They stared at each other for a few tense moments before Shizuo finally broke the silence.  
“I don’t understand. If you wanted it then why’d you run away?”  
Izaya released Shizuo’s shirt and avoided his eyes self-consciously, “I needed time to _think._ I know that’s not something you’d understand, but sometimes people need time alone to process information. We’re supposed to be enemies, for fucks sakes. We can’t all mindlessly accept everything like you do.”  
“You think it doesn’t bother me? I hate your guts. I should want to kill you, but all I can think about is how much I want to kiss your stupid face again,” Shizuo growled, his face growing red from what was most likely a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.  
Izaya gave a surprised chuckle at Shizuo’s honesty. The brute really was too blunt, he thought fondly. Fuck it, if Shizuo was going to be honest then Izaya might as well follow suit.

“Well I’m not opposed to doing it again,” Izaya admitted, shrugging with forced nonchalance. Shizuo’s eyes flickered to Izaya’s lips and visibly struggled to not take him up on the offer right then. Izaya was disappointed when Shizuo showed some self-control for once and tore his eyes away from Izaya’s lips.  
“We should talk about this first. I mean, this isn’t exactly normal. These are things that _couples_ should do. We’re not even friends,” Shizuo insisted. Izaya sighed. Of course Shizuo would be worried about silly things like _feelings_.  
“Sex isn’t always romantic. Haven’t you ever heard of one night stands? Or friends with benefits? Although you’re right, that term doesn’t quite fit us. Hmm… how about enemies with benefits? Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it, Shizu-chan?” Izaya purred, stepping closer to the blonde so that he could playfully tease Shizuo’s bowtie. Shizuo brushed his hands away, straightening his bowtie in annoyance, but he didn’t put any distance between them.

He reached up towards Izaya’s shoulders and the informant thought for a moment that Shizuo was going to pull him in for a kiss. Instead he grabbed Izaya’s hood and pulled it over his head roughly, pushing it down over Izaya’s eyes and obscuring his vision momentarily. Izaya let out an annoyed hiss, prying Shizuo’s grip off his hood. He pulled his hood away from his face, prepared to scold the brute, but his words were forgotten when he found Shizuo’s lips pressed against his own. Izaya closed his eyes and kissed the blonde back eagerly. It ended too soon for his liking as Shizuo pulled away first. Shizuo chuckled, smirking at Izaya’s disappointed pout.  
“I think enemies with benefits suits us pretty well.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I finally found time to update! So sorry for the long break, life just got away from me there with work and uni responsibilities :(  
> Just a heads up, my beta reader is currently in Fiji right now so this chapter isn't beta read. If you find any mistakes please feel free to let me know! :D

“What the hell is that?” Shizuo grumbled, pointing at the giant suitcase Izaya dragged out of his door. Shizuo had been waiting impatiently outside Izaya’s apartment for almost half an hour since the flea had claimed he needed to grab a few things before they left.  
“If I have to stay at your apartment for the rest of the week then I needed to pack some essentials,” Izaya insisted. He stood the suitcase up beside him, the top almost reaching his shoulders. Shizuo was sure that Izaya could easily fit inside the damn thing if he wanted to.

“It’s _three days_ , how much crap could you possibly need?” Shizuo huffed in exasperation.  
“It’s not _crap_. There’s important files and equipment I need to complete my job in here,” Izaya crossed his arms defensively.  
“Oh my god. Please tell me your entire desktop isn’t in there,” Shizuo groaned.  
Izaya scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Shizu-chan. I can manage with only three laptops just fine.”  
“ _Only_ three? Why do you need so many? Isn’t one enough?” Shizuo hissed incredulously.  
“You just don’t comprehend the complexities of my job, Shizu-chan. Not that I expect a brute like you could understand anyway,” Izaya rolled his eyes and laughed like Shizuo was charmingly naive.

Shizuo decided he was too tired to argue. It was well past midnight and he just wanted to go home already.  
“Whatever. Just don’t expect me to help you drag that thing all the way back to Ikebukuro,” Shizuo sighed, reaching for another cigarette only to be greeted with an empty box. _Typical_.  
“I don’t need your help,” Izaya reminded him smugly as he smoothly lifted the large suitcase over his head, “I’m just as strong as you are now, remember?”

Shizuo chuckled. “That’s cute. But I seem to remember you getting your ass kicked last time we fought, even _with_ your new super strength.”  
Izaya scowled. “That hardly means anything. I was simply testing the limits of my new abilities. You only won because I let you.”  
“Is that so? Then why were you trying to run away, huh?” Shizuo smirked.  
“That’s how it’s supposed to be, ne? I run and you chase me like the dog you are. I was just being considerate, really. I know how frustrated you get when we haven’t played in a while,” Izaya teased.

Shizuo refrained from pointing out the irony of Izaya calling him a dog when the vampire was a literal cat just that afternoon. He knew that was still a sore subject and didn’t want to disrupt the playful teasing tone Izaya had adopted.  
“Playing? Is that what you call it?” Shizuo replied instead with a chuckle.     
“Of course! You were never _really_ going to kill me, after all. We both know if you’d actually tried I’d have died a long time ago,” Izaya grinned self-assuredly as he casually leaned against his suitcase. “Admit it, Shizu-chan, you enjoyed our chases just as much as I did.”  

Shizuo wanted to argue, but he knew that Izaya was right. There had always been a part of him holding back. He’d thought it was because he didn’t want to become a murderer. But now he wasn’t sure that’s all it ever was. There was a tiny part of him that had been pleased whenever he’d spot that damn coat in a crowd; a tiny, _ridiculous_ part of him that looked forward to their perpetual game of cat and mouse. He couldn’t deny that this same part of him also missed it. It’d been days since their last fight and almost an entire month since their last chase. Now that neither of them wanted the other dead, it’d likely never happen again. He was surprisingly disappointed at the thought. Things were becoming better between them lately, Shizuo reminded himself firmly. He shouldn’t miss the way things used to be.  

“I have an idea,” Izaya’s voice pulled Shizuo from his thoughts. The informant was startlingly close now, flashing him a mischievous grin as he leant onto the tips of his toes to pull the sunglasses from Shizuo’s face. He tucked them into Shizuo’s waistcoat and he couldn’t help but notice how Izaya’s fingers brushed appreciatively against his chest as he did so.  
“Chase me back to Ikebukuro like old times. I’ll use my suitcase as a handicap and I’ll even promise to stick to a human pace. Come on, Shizu-chan, it’ll be so fun~” Izaya purred.  
Shizuo was immediately on board with the idea, but something was missing.  
“It’ll feel weird chasing you while I’m so calm,” Shizuo pointed out. Izaya made a thoughtful noise.  
“Hmmm, good point,” Izaya agreed before whipping his arm towards him in a blur.

Shizuo felt the burn across his chest before his mind caught up with the action. He hissed, pressing a hand to the fresh wound and inspected the damage. Izaya giggled maniacally, licking the blood from the edge of his switchblade like a popsicle while he awaited Shizuo’s reaction.  
“Fuck, Izaya! You _know_ Kasuka gave me this shirt!” Shizuo hissed in outrage.  
“So _now_ do you feel like chasing me?” Izaya asked, looking extremely pleased with himself.

Shizuo smirked darkly, allowing the familiar feeling of rage to settle into his nerves comfortably.  
“Start running, Flea,” Shizuo barked, only realising his mistake after the nickname had already slipped from his lips. Shizuo’s rage faltered momentarily as he worried over the slip-up, but to his surprise Izaya didn’t seem to mind the accidental order. In fact, the grin on his face simply grew wider as he started sprinting down the hallway, suitcase hoisted over his shoulder like an oversized boombox.

Yet instead of heading for the elevator like Shizuo expected, the vampire passed it without a second thought. He ran further down the hallway with Shizuo hot on his heels, only to stop abruptly in front of a large window. Izaya managed to open the window effortlessly, even one handed as he was, climbing onto the windowsill unwaveringly. The flea wouldn’t really jump would he? Shizuo thought desperately. They were on the top floor, for fucks sakes! But Izaya didn’t hesitate, turning to grin wildly at Shizuo while the blonde yelled in protest.  
“Catch me if you can, Shizu-chan~” Izaya taunted before throwing himself out the window.

Shizuo’s heart clenched fearfully in his chest and he raced for the open window to stick his head out. The wind whipped his hair violently around his face but he paid it no mind, desperately searching the street below for any sign of that damned coat. After a few moments he slumped in relief as he spotted a familiar silhouette scurrying across the top of one of the neighbouring buildings. It was less than half the height of this building, a ridiculous distance to jump, but the vampire seemed completely unharmed.

Shizuo knew that his body was incredibly durable, but even _he_ wasn’t crazy enough to follow the flea out this route. Yet Shizuo wouldn’t let the flea get away so easily. He turned back towards the elevator, a satisfied grin spreading across his face as the familiar feeling of adrenaline coursed through his veins. He would catch that bastard for sure this time!

********

If Izaya’s stagnant heart could beat he was certain it would be racing in excitement right now. He could hear the drumming of Shizuo’s own heart loud and clear, despite the beast being several metres behind him. The suitcase did little to slow him down but Izaya deliberately slowed his pace to allow Shizuo to catch up. It wouldn’t be any fun if Shizuo wasn’t right on his tail like always. It was easy for Izaya to stay just enough ahead of the blonde to keep him interested while escaping his grasp.

A few times Izaya allowed Shizuo to get dangerously close, just to marvel at the fire in Shizuo’s gaze up close. Determined to prolong the game as long as possible, Izaya took his time getting to Ikebukuro. Shizuo had blindly followed him wherever he went without question, just as Izaya had expected. The brute could sniff him out like a bloodhound even if Izaya wanted to shake him. Arguably Izaya could do the same now, but he much preferred to rely on his heightened hearing instead. Shizuo wasn’t exactly quiet in his pursuit, so it was easy to keep track of his whereabouts.  

“IIIIIZAAAAYAAAA!” Shizuo roared as if on cue, throwing another random piece of public property his way. Izaya heard the projectile whistling through the air as it approached and didn’t even bother looking back as he swiftly dodged to the side.  
“Now, now, Shizu-chan. You don’t have to be so loud. Many humans are trying to sleep, you know. How inconsiderate~” Izaya called behind him with a mock look of disapproval. Izaya was delighted that Shizuo wasn’t going easy on him just because they weren’t interested in killing each other anymore. Maybe Shizuo trusted him to dodge them or he knew Izaya would heal rapidly anyway.

It was more than likely Shizuo hadn’t even considered the consequences of his actions, simply losing himself in the familiarity of the chase. Izaya threw several knives behind him in return, grateful that he’d replenished his weapon stash before they’d left his apartment. It never hurt to have a few throwing knives on hand. One of the knives shallowly sliced Shizuo’s bicep and he savoured the delicious scent of Shizuo’s blood as it filled the night air. Shizuo didn’t even flinch at the wound. His only response was a low growl that did more to arouse Izaya than deter him.

The hours passed by unnoticed as the two men enjoyed their vicious dance. Izaya marvelled at how much stamina he seemed to have now and wondered if this was how Shizuo felt in their past fights. It had always been Izaya who decided when to cut their chases short, running low on energy long before Shizuo ever showed any sign of fatigue. But now, Izaya was shocked to find the blonde’s seemingly endless stamina was draining. He listened to Shizuo’s sharp breathes and the rapid fire of his heart, deciding with disappointment that it was time to end their game.

Shizuo was much too stubborn and far more likely to collapse before admitting defeat otherwise. Besides, it wasn’t long until sunrise and Izaya didn’t want to be outside when it happened. He steered their chase towards Shizuo’s apartment, trying to enjoy the remaining moments of the chase while he could. He refused to make this their last. He’d experience this again, even if he had to deliberately piss Shizuo off every time. He doubted it would be too hard though. Shizuo seemed just as eager as he was.  

Izaya stopped when he reached Shizuo’s front door, placing his suitcase down and turning eagerly to await the blonde’s approach. Shizuo burst from the elevator doors a few minutes later.  
“Izaaayaaa-kun,” he growled ominously as he marched down the hallway towards him.  
“Shizu-chan! How nice of you to finally join me. You made me wait so long, you know. I didn’t realise this chase would be so easy,” Izaya pouted melodramatically.  
“You haven’t won yet, Flea,” Shizuo announced, grabbing Izaya by the waist and pulling him into an unbreakable hold, “see I caught you before you entered the apartment so I win.”  
“I didn’t have a key. I’d consider that logic cheating, Shizu-chan,” Izaya chuckled.

Izaya didn’t even attempt to free himself from Shizuo’s arms, leaning his back against Shizuo’s chest and enjoying the beast’s warmth seeping into his clothes.   
“Shut up, don’t pretend like you couldn’t have just picked the lock,” Shizuo scoffed.  
“Hmm I suppose that’s true,” Izaya admitted. Shizuo didn’t bother letting go of Izaya as he unlocked the door, as if afraid the informant would run off again the moment he let go. Izaya allowed himself to be manhandled through the open door, almost forgetting to drag his suitcase in behind them.

As soon as the door shut behind them, a mischievous smirk spread across Izaya’s face and he turned around to wrap his arms around Shizuo’s neck, nestling further into the embrace.  
“Well now that you’ve finally caught me, what _despicable_ things do you plan to do with me, Shizu-chan?” Izaya purred into Shizuo’s ear seductively. To Izaya’s satisfaction, Shizuo’s ear flushed crimson and he prepared himself to be swept off his feet. But to his dismay, Shizuo swiftly released him and marched further into the room to put some distance between them.

“It’s late, we should go to bed,” Shizuo suggested, refusing to meet Izaya’s gaze.  
“Wow so forward~” Izaya cooed, refusing to let Shizuo ruin his mood.  
“That’s not what I meant, you pervert,” Shizuo sighed in exasperation.  
“Why not? Didn’t chasing me around town get you worked up? It sure got _me_ in the mood,” Izaya whined, leaning against the door suggestively.

Shizuo looked visibly torn as he pulled his gaze away from Izaya.  
“I have to work in a few hours and it’ll be daylight soon anyway. There’s not enough time and I think we should discuss things more before… _that_ ,” Shizuo cleared his throat awkwardly. Izaya knew that Shizuo was just being rational but that didn’t mean he had to like it.  
“Fine. How boring~” Izaya sighed in disappointment. 

As he moved from the doorway the contents of the room finally registered. Or should he say, lack of contents.  
“What happened to the fort?” Izaya asked curiously. Not just the fort but the couch and kotatsu were gone entirely. Shizuo’s face twisted in shame and he didn’t look back as he stiffly replied.  
“They broke,” he said simply, leaving the ‘I broke them’ unspoken. But Izaya didn’t interrogate him any further, having a feeling he knew what had happened anyway.   
Instead he asked, “Where am I supposed to sleep?”  
“Shit. I hadn’t thought of that,” Shizuo admitted sheepishly.

He glanced around the room as if hoping a bed would appear out of thin air if he looked hard enough.  
“I could just sleep with you,” Izaya suggested with forced nonchalance.  
“I already told you we’re not –” Shizuo started exasperatedly but Izaya interrupted him.  
“I meant just to sleep, Shizu-chan. Now who’s the pervert?” Izaya clarified with a smirk. Shizuo glared at him suspiciously before sighing heavily.

“I guess that’s okay then. But no funny business, I mean it.”  
“You make me sound like such a scoundrel, Shizu-chan. Don’t you trust me?” Izaya complained.  
“Not as far as I can throw you,” Shizuo said without hesitation.  
“That’s pretty far considering Shizu-chan’s outrageous strength. How mean~” Izaya pouted.  
“You’ll live,” Shizuo rolled his eyes but there was a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“I need to get changed, so don’t come in until I tell you to,” Shizuo warned as he headed for his bedroom door, already starting to tug his tie free.  
“Don’t be so narcissistic, Shizu-chan. I have better things to do than peep in on you changing,” Izaya crossed his arms indignantly. He refused to admit that he was disappointed.

********

Shizuo groaned in protest when his alarm clock announced that it was 6am already. He’d barely gotten any sleep at all, overly conscious of the flea sleeping so close to him. Despite Shizuo’s suspicions, Izaya had kept his word and stayed to his side of the bed. Still Shizuo couldn’t calm down until Izaya’s sleeping form had shifted into the small feline. Shizuo rolled over intending to ignore the screeching and go back to sleep but Izaya stirred beside him.  
“Turn it off already, it’s hurting my ears,” Izaya whined groggily, his ears flicking in displeasure.

If the noise was annoying Shizuo then he could only imagine how bad it was for Izaya’s sensitive hearing. He sighed in defeat, dragging himself out of bed and stumbling towards his dresser. With blurry eyes, he fumbled at the clock for a few moments before giving up and crushing it between his hands. Scattered gears and parts littered the floor but Shizuo decided he’d clean it up later. He turned back to his bed hoping to get a few more minutes sleep, only to find Izaya had settled into his spot. The black cat was already asleep again, soaking up the warmth leftover from Shizuo’s body heat and purring contently. Shizuo would have been annoyed if it wasn’t so damn cute.

Shizuo managed to shuffle his way through his morning routine, despite being half asleep the whole time. It was going to be a long day, he could already tell. He felt like he hadn’t slept at all and his muscles ached from the chase last night in a way they never had before. Izaya had been faster than usual and it made Shizuo try harder than ever to catch him, pushing himself to new limits that he never even knew he had. He could admit that he’d pushed himself too far, but he’d been so caught up in the thrill of it that he hadn’t cared at the time.

The cuts Izaya had landed on him were superficial and had already closed up in the few hours since their fight, leaving faint red lines in their wake. Shizuo couldn’t bring himself to regret the chase, even with his legs groaning at him in protest. It was the most fun he’d had in a long time. He’d never realised how stress relieving it was to chase Izaya around the city. Shizuo felt calmer than he had in weeks, as if his uncontrollable rage was just as exhausted as his muscles. He almost didn’t mind that one of Kasuka’s shirts had to be sacrificed in the process. 

Shizuo swung by a convenience store on his way to work to buy some more cigarettes. He hoped that the nicotine would distract him from his aching muscles and fatigue. Coffee would probably work better but Shizuo couldn’t stand the bitter liquid. He breathed in the smoke gratefully, already feeling some of the tension leave his aching muscles. Whether the nicotine actually helped or if it was just tricking his mind into thinking so, Shizuo couldn’t care less.

It’s not like he had to worry about his health anyway. Shinra had complained countless times about Shizuo’s ridiculously durable immune system. Besides Shizuo had always assumed he’d die by Izaya’s hands sooner or later, so worrying about the health risks of smoking seemed a little pointless. Now that Izaya wasn’t trying to kill him though, Shizuo wondered if he should try to quit. It would be pretty bothersome for Izaya if Shizuo suddenly died since he was his main food source now, after all. But he supposed it was going to happen eventually. Izaya was going to outlive him now, no matter if it was lung cancer or old age that finally did him in. Would Izaya just find someone else if Shizuo died? For some reason the thought disturbed Shizuo. He didn’t like the idea of Izaya biting anyone else.

“Morning Shizuo,” Tom’s voice interrupted Shizuo’s thoughts and he blinked himself into comprehension, realising he’d made it all the way to the office while he wasn’t paying attention.  
“Morning,” Shizuo mumbled back, ashamed at being caught daydreaming by his senpai.  
“You look like you didn’t sleep a wink,” Tom pointed out in concern.  
“Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night,” Shizuo admitted sheepishly.  
Tom hesitated before continuing with forced nonchalance, “Yeah I heard that you were chasing Izaya around Ikebukuro pretty late last night.”

Shizuo flushed embarrassment, “Where’d you hear that?”  
“Boss got a call early this morning from the police about property damage,” Tom explained.  
“Ah. I’m sorry for causing trouble, Tom-senpai,” Shizuo slumped his head in shame.  
Tom shrugged. “It can’t be helped. Izaya probably deserved it, right?”  
“Uh… yeah,” Shizuo murmured, feeling bad for lying to Tom but knowing the other man wouldn’t understand if he told him it was prearranged.

“So how’s Flea holding up? Is the little guy feeling any better?” Tom noticeably changed the subject. Shizuo’s face softened into a gentle smile as he remembered the sleeping cat this morning.  
“Yeah he’s doing a lot better. He was just a little shaken up, that’s all,” Shizuo reassured him.  
“Well you’ll be happy to know that the couple won’t be causing us any more trouble. The police told Boss that they’ve been arrested for harbouring illegal firearms, child abuse and attempted murder,” Tom informed him.  
“I _knew_ those two were scum! I hope they rot,” Shizuo growled.

“Get this though. The police were called because gunshots were reported but when they arrived there was no victim found. Instead there was just a large pool of blood on their bedroom floor with four bullets scattered in it. How weird is that? It’s like the person they shot dug out the bullets themselves and just walked away,” Tom shook his head in disbelief.  
Shizuo froze as his brain conjured up the memory of a blood-covered Izaya from last night. It couldn’t be… right? But Shizuo knew better. Of fucking course it was him.

That damn flea! What the fuck was he thinking doing something so reckless on his own? He could have been killed! Well, he amended, not killed but hurt. Hell, he _was_ hurt. The bastard had been shot. _Four fucking times_. Shizuo didn’t care if Izaya could heal faster now, the idiot could still feel pain. Shizuo knew from personal experience that getting shot hurt like a bitch. It wasn’t something you just shrugged off like it was no big deal. That shit was excruciating. Probably even worse for Izaya since his skin wasn’t as tough as Shizuo’s was.

Dammit, why hadn’t Izaya just told Shizuo what he was planning? He could have helped, at the very least. Instead that bastard decided to face two psychopaths alone. What would he have done if they’d stumbled upon the way to kill him? Shizuo still didn’t have any clue what that way could be, but if it was a bullet to the brain then Izaya could have seriously died. Shizuo was honestly surprised by the force of the protectiveness that coursed through him at the thought. Izaya wasn’t allowed to just throw his afterlife away after Shizuo had gone to so much trouble to convince him it was worth living, dammit.

“Hey are you okay? You look like you’re about to go on a rampage. I’m telling you, you don’t have to worry about that couple anymore. The police can handle them. Their daughter’s in protective custody right now while they find her a foster home. She’s going to be okay,” Tom reassured him.  
Shizuo was suddenly hit by a wave of guilt. Shit, he hadn’t even thought about the poor girl. He’d been blinded by worry over Izaya’s recklessness.

Shizuo sighed heavily, forcing away his agitation. There was no use worrying about it now. What’s done is done. Fuming about it wouldn’t change anything. It’s not like he’d even see Izaya again for another twelve hours at least. He could reprimand the vampire later. After a nap, he decided, remembering he still had to make it through a whole day of work without collapsing from fatigue.

“We should meet up with Vorona. She’s probably wondering where we are,” Shizuo suggested.  
“You’re right. Sorry for telling you irritating stuff so early in the morning. I didn’t mean to make you upset,” Tom apologised, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair and slipping on his sunglasses.  
“It’s not you, Tom-senpai,” Shizuo sighed exhaustedly as he followed his senpai out the door.  
“Is this about Izaya again? I really think you’d be a lot happier if you just left each other alone. If you just ignored him he’d probably lose interest in you,” Tom recommended.

Shizuo chuckled dryly. Leaving Izaya alone wasn’t really an option anymore. The thought of being stuck with Izaya would have been unbearable a few weeks ago. But as Shizuo’s mind drifted back to the soft feeling of Izaya’s lips on his own, he found he didn’t mind it so much now.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I managed to finish another chapter before the uni term starts next week :D  
> Updates will be less frequent again due to Uni but I'm still aiming for one chapter per month at the very least!  
> Thanks again for all the support this fic has gotten. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Sorry for the lack of smut. The plan was to write smut as soon as their enemies with benefits status was decided but then plot got in the way. This chapter is a lot of exposition again but there were still a few things Shizuo and Izaya needed to learn xD

The sound of Shizuo’s apartment door opening roused the informant from his slumber. He had a few moments of confusion before his mind caught up with where he was and why everything around him was so huge. Izaya stretched instinctually, arching his back high and pushing his paws out in front of him to knead the soft bed satisfyingly. A quick glance at his phone told him it was just past noon and that he’d overslept again. He didn’t know whether this was a side effect of his vampirism or feline form but either way it was inconvenient.

Luckily he’d sent a text with his instructions to Namie last night while Shizuo was changing. She was late but he _had_ promised her the week off, so he couldn’t particularly blame her for taking her time. He listened to the steady tapping of heels on Shizuo’s living room floor as Namie presumably set up the black-out curtains he’d requested. He was grateful that his assistant wasn’t the type to ask questions as long as she got paid. Most likely she had no idea whose apartment this was or she might have second-guessed breaking in.  

Izaya knew staying in Shizuo’s bedroom until she left would be the wisest option, but he wanted an update on her investigation into Shingen’s research more. Thankfully Shizuo had left the bedroom door slightly ajar, clearly remembering that Izaya couldn’t open doors in his current state. Izaya slipped through the crack, carefully tugging it closed gently behind him by clawing at the gap under the door.

Thankfully Namie didn’t so much as glance in his direction, too occupied by threading curtain rings through the curtain rod while she balanced precariously on a kitchen stool. Her ever-present scowl furrowed her eyebrows as she focussed on the task, as if glaring would make the curtains thread themselves for her.  
“Lazy bastard! Who does he think I am? His maid? At least it’s not an entire wall this time,” she muttered angrily to herself as she worked. Izaya suppressed an amused chuckle. It seemed her habit of bitching at him was something she did even when she thought he wasn’t there to hear it.

He padded quietly towards the kitchen island and settled behind it, patiently waiting for the light in the room to disappear. Izaya stood as he regained his human form, straightening out his pyjamas. It was unfortunate that he didn’t have time to get changed, but it’s not like he cared what Namie thought of his appearance. His secretary remained oblivious to his presence, still adjusting the curtains.  
“My, how lucky I am to have such a diligent secretary~” Izaya smirked and Namie flinched, almost falling off the stool. She grabbed the curtains for support and Izaya had a moment of panic as he feared the movement might spill some sunlight into the room.  

Luckily the curtains didn’t shift too badly and the florescent glow of the lightbulb above them remained the only light source in the room. Namie glared daggers at him as she slowly descended from the stool and Izaya briefly thought she might throw it at him when she was done. But of course, Namie was not Shizu-chan, she much preferred verbal abuse.  
“So you _were_ lurking around here somewhere. I had hoped I’d be fortunate enough to escape your vile company today. I suppose this apartment belongs to your latest fuck then? Well while you were busy playing house, I suppose you couldn’t have spared a hand to help me. Or did you deliberately wait until I was finished just so you didn’t have to help? Do I look like a maid to you?” she hissed accusingly, eyeing his dishevelled appearance in distaste.

“Of course not, Namie. Maids don’t get paid nearly as extravagantly as you do,” Izaya scoffed, ignoring the blush burning his cheeks at her insinuation. Namie didn’t know this was Shizuo’s apartment, he hastily reminded himself. To distract himself from the embarrassment, he pulled out his cheque book and scribbled down her details disinterestedly. She snatched the cheque out of his hands as soon as he was done, picking up her bag and turning for the door.  
“Not so fast, Namie. I still have some matters I’d like to discuss with you before you go,” Izaya clicked his tongue in disapproval. Namie paused, turning towards him impatiently. He strolled around the kitchen island, plucking the stool from the ground and placing it in front of the counter to sit upon. It was the only remaining seat left in the apartment, now that the couch was gone.

“So tell me, what have you found regarding Shingen Kishitani’s latest experiments?” Izaya inquired. He tried not to look as invested in the matter as he was, leaning back against the counter calmly. Namie sighed in exasperation, rifling through her purse momentarily before handing him a large file.  
“Here. That’s everything Nebula had on Dr Kishitani’s current research. The entire project is classified from most of Nebula's employees, but I managed to get a copy from a higher-up I still trust,” she informed him nonchalantly. Izaya flipped through the file, surprised to find how detailed it was. It had a fair amount of information on both regular vampires and Servamps. If Namie's read this then there was no doubt she at least suspected him. He’d had her install black-out curtains in two apartments now and sent her to gather information on an experiment regarding vampires. It didn’t take a genius to connect the dots. He glanced up at her curiously, but she didn’t appear concerned in the slightest.  
“Well as a fellow scientist, what’s your opinion on his research?” Izaya probed, forcing nonchalance.  
Namie crossed her arms. “It’d be ludicrous of me to deny the existence of vampires after dedicating my entire life to studying a dullahan head. But it’s not my job to worry about those things anymore. As long as I have enough money to support myself and my beloved Seiji, then I don’t care where or _what_ the money comes from.”

Ah, this was why he loved humans~  
“Is that so?” Izaya hummed with a grin, “Your selfishness never ceases to amaze me, Namie.”  
Namie shrugged. “Call it what you want. Seiji’s safety is all that matters to me. I don’t want either of us getting involved in some ridiculous war. So keep me out of it.”  
“Of course, of course~ I would never endanger my lovely secretary,” Izaya waved off her concern.  
“Try not to get yourself killed either. I don’t want to go looking for a new employer,” Namie added.  
“Oh you don’t have to worry about that. Killing me has gotten quite hard as of late,” Izaya reassured her. Namie didn’t look convinced. “Hmm, I wonder if that confidence will last after you’ve finished reading that file. I’m sure the section marked C3 will be particularly eye-opening.”  
Without another word Namie headed for the door, leaving Izaya to contemplate her warning alone.

********

After getting dressed, Izaya decided it was about time he started work. He created a make-shift work desk on Shizuo’s kitchen counter, spreading files and laptops over every inch of the surface in organised chaos. It wasn’t the standard of work space that he was accustomed to but it would have to do. He tried his best to ignore the file sitting beside his main laptop. He didn’t have time to read through it thoroughly now. His job came first and he was already running late. Without Namie’s assistance he had twice the work to do and he refused to let his work suffer because of issues in his personal life. He didn’t care what Namie had said, he told himself firmly, it could wait.

Izaya hadn’t had any large jobs from Shiki or any of his more influential clients since escaping the lab. All he had were generic jobs that took little effort on his part to investigate, mostly cases of suspected adultery and missing person’s cases. Unfortunately, this meant for the next few hours his mind was free to wander while he worked. He couldn’t stop thinking over the details he’d glanced at while quickly flipping through the file earlier. From what he could tell the information on servamps had been quite extensive. There was an entire section dedicated to the known servamps, as well as details about their abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Izaya vaguely recalled Celty mentioning there were supposed to only be seven servamps in the world, but the file had listed eight not including himself. In fact, Izaya’s name hadn’t been mentioned anywhere in the file, as far as he had seen. Izaya was both relieved and disturbed by this.

The fact that he wasn’t mentioned could mean several things. Firstly, they might not have gathered enough data on him to add to the file before he’d escaped the facility. However, he knew this was highly unlikely since they’d had him in their custody for almost a full month. Alternatively, Shingen’s kidnapping of him might not have been approved by Nebula. He could’ve been acting of his own accord behind the company’s back, which was more likely than the previous option since the mad doctor had always been a bit reckless when it came to his research. But Izaya doubted that Nebula would have had any issue with human experimentation considering their past endeavours. The last possibility, and perhaps the most worrying one of all, was that they had his information in a separate file altogether. One that was so classified that it hadn’t even been listed in the company’s records.

Unable to focus on his work any longer, Izaya finally gave in and grabbed the file. He skipped to the section labelled C3, as he was still concerned by Namie’s words. According to the file, C3 was an undercover worldwide organisation that claimed to uphold the coexistence between humans and vampires. C3 was run entirely by humans that had dedicated their lives to the research and pursuit of vampires. Yet despite their claims of being neutral, they were better described as a corporation of vampire hunters. They acted as both judges and executioners against vampires that violated the laws they had created. These supposed laws were not stated, but Izaya could guess what they entailed. Thankfully the file stated they had yet to kill a servamp, but lower class vampires were often victims of their ‘justice’.

It was likely that Nebula and C3 had arranged a business partnership, considering how detailed the information on vampires was. The file went on to explain that there were three types of vampires currently known. Natural-born vampires were similar to Celty in the sense that they had always existed but remained hidden from most of society. These natural vampires had become extremely rare as their vampiric bloodlines became thinned from breeding with humans. Izaya’s mind supplied Ruri Hijiribe as a likely example of this. Conversely, Servamps were man-made vampires created by an unnamed scientist several hundred years ago. As expected the man was long since deceased and it was believed that the method of creating servamps had died with him. However, Izaya’s existence was proof that this wasn’t the case.

The last type was subclasses, who were humans turned vampire by servamps. Apparently only servamps had this power to turn other humans into vampires. Izaya shuddered at the thought of ever cursing one of his beloved humans in such a way. A subclass was created when a dying human consumed the blood of a servamp before death. Unlike their creators, subclasses don’t have animal forms and as such are completely intolerant to sunlight. The only exceptions to this were Tsubaki’s subclasses, which were immune to the effects of sunlight.

Curious, Izaya flicked forward to the section listing the servamps to find out who this Tsubaki was. Tsubaki, it seemed, was the last servamp created before Izaya. The first seven servamps were created to represent the seven deadly sins depicted in western religion, while Tsubaki claimed to represent Melancholy as the eighth sin. As he had been created many years after the original seven, it made sense that his abilities would be improved to allow his subclasses to withstand sunlight. Izaya briefly wondered if his own subclasses would be immune to sunlight too since he was created after Tsubaki, but he quickly shoved the notion aside. He would never commit such a vile act, so it hardly mattered.

Izaya interestedly flipped through the profiles of the other servamps. The original servamps didn’t have traditional names like Tsubaki and Izaya, likely shedding their birth names when they were created. Instead they had odd titles that vaguely alluded to the sins they represented. Sleepy Ash for sloth, Old Child for pride, Doubt Doubt for envy, The Mother for wrath, World End for gluttony, Lawless for greed and All of Love for lust. The names they answered to were gifted to them by their eves and varied each time they changed eves. Izaya scoffed at the thought of ever answering to the name Shizuo had given him. He would never accept the name Flea. He would be Izaya Orihara until the day the world turned to dust.

The section on eves proved to be more enlightening than Izaya was expecting. He’d thought Celty had explained everything they needed to know, but it turns out she’d merely breached the surface. It appears Servamps were primarily created for battle, the chains in their necks appearing if the vampire bit their eve while in a combat situation. The chain enhanced the connection between them while manifested and represented the control the eve had over their servamp. Izaya’s hand reached for the back of his neck unconsciously, remembering with a shudder the feel of the chain secured deep into his flesh. He took comfort in the thought that Shizuo would never need his help in a fight.

The file went on to describe leads, which were specialised weapons provided to eves by their servamps. Each lead was different depending on the personality and abilities of the eve, the weapon forming to complement their traits. Izaya pondered what kind of weapon a monster like Shizuo could possibly wield. It’s not like the brute even needed a weapon, of course. His body was a weapon in itself. It’d probably be something outrageous like a vending machine, Izaya chuckled. It simply wouldn’t be fair on his dear humans if he gave Shizuo even more of an advantage. His poor humans stood no chance, even with weapons against an unarmed Shizuo. No, he decided, Shizu-chan was powerful enough.

The more Izaya learnt about eves, the more uncomfortable he felt. The way the file talked about servamps made them sound like slaves to their eve's will. Sure, he had known eves could control their servamps if they wanted, but this file made it sound like they were merely possessions to be owned. As if he was nothing more than a fancy weapon to use at Shizu-chan’s disposal. If Shizuo were to realise his full control over him, Izaya would be entirely powerless against him. But Shizuo wouldn’t do that, Izaya told himself firmly, the brute was too kind to take advantage of anyone, not  _even_ his sworn enemy. Despite knowing this to be true, Izaya couldn’t stop the feeling of dread coiling inside his stomach as he continued to read.

********

When Shizuo got home he eyed the changes to his apartment with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. He was too exhausted to question how the hell Izaya had managed to install curtains as a cat but he wouldn’t put it past the sneaky bastard to have found a way. Izaya had clearly claimed the kitchen island for himself. A ridiculous amount of paperwork surrounded his three laptops, taking up the entire bench space. Shizuo was glad he’d eaten before coming home because the prospect of clearing that mess away seemed impossible in his current state. Shizuo was exhausted. The combination of lack of sleep and his aching muscles caused the day to drag on unbearably long. He was surprised his legs still supported him, but then again he didn't really have any other choice. Izaya occupied the only seat in the room. Shizuo didn’t think he’d ever missed anything as much as he missed his couch in that moment.

“I’m home,” Shizuo announced tiredly. Izaya startled from his reading, appearing to only just notice Shizuo’s presence. He snapped the file he'd been reading closed and hastily slipped it among the pile of paperwork. Izaya’s face didn’t show any sign of distress as he turned back to Shizuo, but the blonde had known him long enough to know when Izaya was trying to hide something. Fortunately for him, Shizuo was too tired right then to care about whatever shady shit Izaya’s job had him doing. It was probably some more Yakuza bullshit he didn’t want to get involved in anyway.  
“Welcome home, Shizu-chan~” Izaya chimed, mimicking a dutiful housewife. Shizuo scowled.

“You look positively awful. Rough day?” Izaya asked, but his voice lacked any real concern. It was more likely that he just wanted to shift Shizuo’s attention. Shizuo decided not to call him out on it.  
“Well I hardly got any sleep last night because of you. Of course I’m tired,” Shizuo accused.  
“Aw, but last night was so fun. Don’t tell me Shizu-chan regrets it?” Izaya pouted dramatically.  
“Shut up. I’ll just catch you before it gets so late next time,” Shizuo promised. Izaya perked up at the confirmation that there would be a next time.  
“Is that so?” Izaya grinned in amusement. “I look forward to seeing you try.”

Izaya was clearly in a good mood and Shizuo almost didn’t want to ruin it. But he refused to go to sleep before he confronted Izaya about his whereabouts last night. It had been nagging at him all shift and he needed to confirm his suspicions.  
“Tom told me that couple we visited the other day got arrested last night. That was your doing wasn’t it?” Shizuo got straight to the point. Izaya’s grin became a little smug.  
“That couple was doing some pretty despicable things. All I did was expose them,” Izaya shrugged.  
“You shouldn’t have done such a reckless thing on your own,” Shizuo growled.  
“Why’re you so mad? I thought you’d be happy that I did something ‘good’ for once,” Izaya frowned.  
“That’s not the point! You could’ve gotten hurt,” Shizuo insisted.  
“I didn’t–” Izaya scoffed but Shizuo cut him off.  
“You got shot!”

“A few bullets aren’t enough to hurt me anymore,” Izaya rolled his eyes.  
“You can still feel pain, you idiot! Don’t pretend that shit didn’t hurt. What are you going to do if they tell anyone, huh? Do you _want_ people finding out you’re a vampire?” Shizuo demanded.  
Izaya bristled, snapping to his feet angrily, “I can take care of myself, Shizu-chan. I don’t need you lecturing me.”  
Shizuo sighed in exasperation, “You should have told me what you were planning first. I would have come with you.”  
Izaya scowled and marched towards Shizuo furiously. He grabbed Shizuo’s collar and dragged him roughly down to eye level, before growling in a low menacing tone, “I don’t need to ask your permission for anything. You don’t own me, Shizu-chan. Did that silly chain go to your head? Let me remind you, I am not your pet and I’m definitely not some helpless damsel that you need to save.”

Shizuo’s eyes widened at Izaya’s words, shocked silent by the unexpected turn this had taken. He hadn’t meant it that way at all. He just didn’t want Izaya to get hurt by his own recklessness. But before he could find the words to explain himself, Izaya was suddenly in the doorway.  
“I’m done listening to this nonsense. The sun’s down so there’s no reason for me to stay in this cramped apartment any moment longer.”  
The door slammed roughly closed behind him as the informant fled the apartment for the second night in a row.

Shizuo wanted to go after him, but he knew it would be pointless. Izaya was much faster than he was now and Shizuo’s legs still ached from the previous night's chase. He was too exhausted to even hope to catch up to the fuming vampire now. The only thing Shizuo could do was go to bed and hope Izaya’s anger cooled down on its own. Shizuo didn’t even bother getting undressed, simply collapsing face-first onto his bed. He breathed in the lingering scent of Izaya on his bedsheets, ignoring the way his heart ached knowing that he’d managed to upset Izaya again. Thankfully he was asleep before he could dwell on it for too long.

********

 _“Happy Birthday.”_  
_Shizuo heard a loud bang and confetti filled his vision. Behind the cloud of streamers, Shizuo found the source of the odd greeting. A small, black creature stood in front of him, staring at him with large beady eyes. It vaguely resembled a cat, but its ears were much larger and pointed like horns and its tail was spikey and misshapen. Its mouth was visibly stitched shut like a disturbing voodoo doll._  
_“It’s not my birthday,” Shizuo mumbled, unsure how else to react to this bizarre creature. He glanced around but could only see vast darkness all around them. There was a path lit dimly by candles immediately ahead but Shizuo could not see far enough in front of them to determine where it led. The path was stark white in contrast to the inky black shadows surrounding it._

 _“Where am I?” Shizuo interrogated the creature but it didn’t seem concerned by his menacing tone._  
_"You’re inside Izaya,” the creature replied matter-of-factly. Shizuo’s eyes widened and he took another frantic look around but the scenery remained unchanged. This was inside Izaya?_  
_“What the hell does that mean? Who the fuck are you?” Shizuo growled._  
_The seams across the creature’s mouth stretched as it spoke, “I’m a part of Izaya, although I wasn’t always. I used to reside inside the mind of another. I still do, I think. But that me isn’t the me I am now. I have been altered by Izaya’s mind. I’m the one in charge of his new ‘power’.”_  
_Shizuo tried his best to follow the creature’s explanation but it didn’t make much sense to him._

_“You’re here for a gift, ne? Your very own birthday gift. This way, this way.”  
Shizuo didn’t bother correcting the creature again. It motioned for him to follow and he warily did so. He caught sight of more candles as they walked. It took him a moment to realise that they were floating, secured in mid-air intermittently along the path. He ducked under a low hanging candle. There really wasn’t anything underneath it, he mused. He watched the creature as it skipped along the path in front of him. Its carefree movements were strikingly similar to how Izaya pranced down the streets of Ikebukuro and Shizuo had to admit that he could see the resemblance.  _

_Shizuo noticed a large shape shadowing the path further up ahead. It looked like a small mountain shrouded in shadows. It wasn’t until he got closer that the light revealed what it really was. Countless colourfully wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes were piled on top of each other. The pile towered over them, Shizuo had never seen so many presents in his life. All of them looked professionally wrapped, meticulously covered in expensive looking wrapping paper and tied with bows made of ribbon. The creature stopped beside the pile and turned to Shizuo eagerly.  
“Happy Birthday, Shizu-chan. This is the happy decision of fate. Choose one you like,” it instructed._

_Shizuo eyed the pile suspiciously, “Like I said, it’s not my birthday. Besides, why would Izaya’s mind have a gift for me? This doesn’t make any sense.”_  
_“Because you want to protect him, don’t you?” It sounded more like a statement than a question._  
_“What? No. The bastard can take care of himself,” Shizuo objected. The creature grinned._  
_“Yet you still harbour the desire to protect him. It’s what summoned me here. I may not know your mind as intimately as Izaya’s but as his eve I can sense your wishes. My purpose, the purpose of this power, is to fulfill those wishes,” it claimed._

 _Shizuo frowned. It was true that he had been worried about Izaya’s safety, but did he really want to protect the flea? Izaya was anything but weak. He didn’t need Shizuo's protection. Shizuo knew that. But that didn’t stop him from worrying about him. Being strong didn’t make you invincible. Shizuo knew that all too well._  
_“This gift can help you protect someone. But you may only choose one and once you’ve chosen your gift, you can’t turn back,” the creature warned. Shizuo eyed the pile uncertainly._  
_“Come, acquire your power. All the routes are completely different, but no matter which you choose the end is the same. The most important thing is that it’s an answer of your own,” it explained._

_Well shit, how the hell was he supposed to know which one was the right one then? There were too bloody many to choose from. Frustration began to stir inside him as he glared at the pile of gifts. Fuck it, he was just going to choose the closest one. Shizuo reached out for the box closest to him, a bright blue rectangle wrapped with a large red bow. As soon as his hand touched the box, it vanished and a bright white light filled the room._

_When the brightness cleared, Shizuo was holding a large hammer made of the same shadowy material as the chain that’d once been around his wrist. It was heavy, even for his standards, but he had no trouble supporting the excess weight. The handle was as tall he was and the head was an obscenely large rectangular box twice as big as his head. Intricate carvings glowed a bright blue where they littered the surface of the weapon in rune patterns he didn’t recognise.  
“Congratulations, Shizu-chan. This weapon is now yours.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's having trouble picturing Shizuo's lead, imagine Thor's hammer Mjölnir but a whole lot bigger and with a much longer handle xD


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Servamp spoiler alert*  
> So I decided to read the servamp manga to remind myself on the servamp storyline and its characters for this chapter. In doing so I have realised that the end of the anime is vastly different from the manga so in case anyone's only read the manga I want to clear up any confusion. This fic is set a few weeks after the finale of the servamp anime. So none of the C3 arc happened and everyone still has their servamp powers.

Izaya perched himself on the roof of a tall building in Shinjuku, watching his humans as they scurried along the streets below. The building wasn’t as tall as his apartment, but the view was still stunning. He pulled his hood up over his head in a feeble attempt at sheltering himself from the cold wild. It did little to fend off the chill but Izaya felt too numb to care. He hadn’t bothered going all the way home, knowing he’d have to return to Shizuo’s apartment sooner or later. He’d prefer to spend his limited freedom watching his dear humans anyway. Shinjuku was most alive at night and Izaya’s appreciation for Shinjuku’s nightlife had increased ever since he’d accepted it as the only time he could see his beloved humans. Yet despite the allure of fascinating human lives below, Izaya couldn’t bring himself to join them. His mind was too overrun right now to focus on playing with his toys.

Izaya had overreacted. He knew that. But he couldn’t help himself. Hearing Shizuo order him around had dragged all his growing fears to the surface and before he knew it, Izaya had snapped. But honestly, how dare that brute suggest Izaya was weak? Izaya had been dealing with far more dangerous situations since before he’d graduated high school. That couple had nothing on the Yakuza he usually interacted with on a near daily basis. Shizuo should know by now that Izaya could handle himself. He didn’t need Shizuo acting like an overbearing parent, or worse his owner, because he’d deluded himself into thinking Izaya was his responsibility now. Just because Izaya was stuck with the brute didn’t mean he had to inform Shizuo of his every move. If Shizuo was determined to tighten the leash then Izaya was going to pull back with everything he had.

“That kind of thinking isn’t going to get you anywhere, you know,” a voice interrupted his thoughts. Izaya whipped around to find himself face to face with a small creature. It looked like a voodoo doll someone had attempted to make in the image of a cat but had failed miserably. It more resembled a demon than a cat, ears too large and pointed. Its tail was a mess too, the fur jagged and deformed. The demon stared at him with large red eyes and its lips tugged at stitches to form a grin. That’s when Izaya noticed the city was gone. He no longer heard the cacophony of life around him either. Nothing but endless white and silence surrounded them, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Izaya jumped to his feet and reached for his knife in the same motion.  
He pointed the blade towards the strange creature as he demanded, “Who– no _what_ are you?”  
“I’m _you_ , well a part of you anyway. I’m the one in charge of your new power. This is the inside of your mind or my corner of it, at least. I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but by now I know you better than you know yourself,” it explained. Izaya’s eyes narrowed at the demon in front of him. One of his skills as an informant was the ability to tell when he was being lied to and this creature appeared to be telling the truth. Yet another new side effect of his servamp status, Izaya sighed.

He lowered his knife and pocketed it slowly. Izaya studied the creature carefully.  
“Is that supposed to be a representation of my cat form then? Because I can assure you, that looks nothing like me,” Izaya scowled. The demon didn’t appear offended. It simply laughed and looked thoughtful for a moment.  
“Is that so? Well how about this then?” it asked with a twirl and a puff of familiar black smoke. The demon’s physical form didn’t change at all, but it now had on a small imitation of Izaya’s fur coat. Izaya couldn’t help the smirk that twitched at his lips.  
“Well that is better, I suppose,” Izaya conceded.

“I never thought my mind would be so… empty,” Izaya admitted, glancing around curiously.  
“The mind has no real presence. It takes any form you wish. This blankness is because you haven’t chosen an appearance yet,” the demon claimed.  
“Interesting,” Izaya mused. Suddenly he was sitting at his desk in his apartment building in Shinjuku overlooking the city. Daylight streamed through his window and Izaya revelled in the sight of his dear humans in the daytime. He held out a hand to the rays, marvelling at the orange glow against his pale skin. He hadn’t realised how much he'd missed sunlight.  
“You know you don’t have to stay couped up in a dark apartment all day. You can go out and be with your precious humans to your heart’s content. Humans’ fascination with cats makes it incredibly easy to get close to them in that form,” the demon informed him from its place on his desk.

Izaya turned away from the window with a frown. He still loathed the idea of his dear humans seeing him in such a pathetic state.  
“Suit yourself,” the demon shrugged, although it looked a little disappointed.  
“Why am I here?” Izaya demanded, his patience gone.  
“You were becoming consumed by your thoughts. I thought I’d offer some advice,” it replied.  
“Really? So where were you when I fell into a catatonic state a few days ago then?” Izaya accused.  
“I was just as trapped as you were. It’s not the first time my host has fallen into a state of emotional distress, but it _was_ the first time I couldn’t reach them. It was quite disconcerting,” the demon admitted with a small frown.  
“So you’ve had other hosts? Are you inside all of the servamps minds then?” Izaya noted.  
“No. I’ve only had one other host. You’re quite similar in many ways, although he’s far less motivated. I find your insatiable curiosity in mankind quite promising,” the demon grinned.

Interesting, Izaya thought and made a mental note of this.  
“So what advice did you wish to give me then?” Izaya prompted.  
“Stop fighting with your Eve,” the demon declared.  
Izaya scoffed, “Clearly you don’t know me as well as you think. Fighting is what we _do_.”  
“Trying to resist your eve is useless and just puts unnecessary strain on your body. It’s better to just accept it and try to work together with your eve,” the demon recommended.  
“As if I’d ever accept something like that. I’m not some tool to be used at Shizu-chan’s disposal,” Izaya hissed in indignation. The demon crossed it’s arms and its tail flicked in irritation.  
“You misunderstand the connection between servamps and their eves. While some eves choose to manipulate their servamps to their wills, the strongest connections are those built on cooperation and trust.”

“Shizu-chan doesn’t trust me, he’s said it himself,” Izaya reminded the demon.  
“Yet you still trust him,” the demon pointed out.  
“I don’t trust that beast,” Izaya scoffed.  
“Yes, you do. You demonstrate that trust constantly. You’ve never once doubted that Shizuo won’t kill you. You quite literally trust him with your life,” the demon pointed out.  
“I trust _myself_ to outrun and dodge him,” Izaya maintained. The demon rolled its eyes.  
“If you keep denying your connection then you’ll never realise your full potential. You have one of the strongest bonds I’ve ever seen. I’ve never known a pair so naturally compatible,” it insisted.  
Izaya laughed dryly at this, “Compatible? Shizu-chan and I? We’ve clashed since the day we first met. Our personalities are so ill-suited that we’ve been actively trying to kill each other for almost a decade. Just because we’re on slightly friendlier terms now doesn’t change the fact that we despise each other.”

“Lying to me is pointless. I occupy your mind, I know your thoughts,” the demon looked frustrated.  
“I’m not lying,” Izaya flinched. “I hate him.”  
“No you don’t and he doesn’t hate you either,” the demon huffed.  
“Shut up. You don’t know how that brute feels,” Izaya hissed.  
“Oh but I do. At least as far as his desires are concerned,” the demon claimed.  
“Sexual desire and hate can co-exist,” Izaya argued.  
“I never said anything about sexual desire,” the demon chuckled. Izaya’s cheeks burned in embarrassment. He’d had enough of this demon’s game.  
“You don’t know the first thing about me _or_ Shizu-chan. You can keep your unwanted opinions to yourself,” Izaya growled. 

The demon sighed heavily, shaking its head.  
“Denial is such a human emotion. It’s unfitting for a servamp, although I suppose you are still young. Those old habits will fade in time.”  
“I’m not in denial. What gives you the right to tell me how I feel?” Izaya demanded.  
“As I said, I am a part of you. I’m aware lying to yourself is a habit of yours, but I’d prefer if you treated me with a little bit more courtesy,” the demon replied. Izaya’s scowl deepened. He was starting to seriously dislike this creature.  
“How mean~” it pouted dramatically before its lips spread into a large smirk, “I thought we could be good friends. In fact, I think you and me could have a lot of fun together.”

“Nii-san! It’s odd to see you out alone. Is that a new coat?” a male voice snapped him back to reality. Izaya struggled not to fall in his surprise as he found himself sitting precariously on the edge of the building once more. He hadn’t expected anyone to find him up here, let alone address him. The informant had chosen this rooftop specifically because it was unusual for humans to come up here. Izaya’s first instinct was to flee in case this man was security but then he processed the greeting. The man had addressed him as ‘Nii-san’ so clearly he’d mistaken him for his brother. Izaya stood and turned to face the unexpected visitor curiously. This man was definitely not security or even one of the employees of the building. His hair was unkempt and multi-coloured, mostly blonde with brown framing his face. His outfit was an odd mixture between formal and casual. The orange vest he wore over an untucked white button-up clashed with the blue tie around his neck. His skinny jeans stopped well above his ankles and striped orange and brown socks protruded from bulky sneakers of the same colour scheme. He also wore a large brown scarf that hung to his knees on either side.

Behind designer glasses, the man’s eyes widened in shock when Izaya faced him.  
“Sorry, I’m afraid you have me mistaken for someone else,” Izaya pulled back his hood and flashed him a fake polite smile, “I must say, I’m surprised to find someone else here at this time of night.”  
Izaya was quite curious as to why this strange man was here and why he’d mistaken him for his brother. There was an odd aura to him that Izaya couldn’t place. It made his skin prickle in awareness and his hand twitched for the comfort of his knife. But Izaya remained outwardly calm. The surprise on the man’s face morphed into a large grin and he chuckled loudly, “Oh I see! So Nii-san finally decided to make a subclass. I felt his presence nearby so I came to say hello, but found you instead. Wow, your presence feels just like his. You must be freshly born!”  
Izaya froze. Ah, so this man was a vampire. That explained his aura. He seemed to be under the impression that Izaya was a subclass created by his brother. Did that make him a servamp as well?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name,” Izaya tried not to let his apprehension show in his voice.  
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” the man performed the quote as if he were on a stage and then turned to Izaya with a wink “I’m the 5th servamp “Greed”. Ah, but you can just call me Lawless-chan. What do I call you, young one?”  
“My name is Nakura,” Izaya told him warily, trying not to scowl at the nickname. He tried to appear as the harmless and naïve newborn vampire that this man assumed he was. This was the first time he’d met another servamp but he sensed it would be dangerous if Lawless found out he was a servamp. It would be safer to run, but Izaya couldn’t let this opportunity slip by. He needed answers.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Nakura. What’s a fledgling doing wandering the city alone? Didn’t Nii-san warn you about staying out of sight? What if you’d run into someone bad?”  
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” Izaya quoted with a shrug, smoothly dodging his questions. It worked just as well as Izaya expected as he watched Lawless’s grin widen even further.  
“Oh how wonderful, another Shakespeare fan! I like you, young one. I can see why my brother chose you,” Lawless gleamed, clasping his hands together in delight.  
“I notice you call him brother. Are you related by blood? Or am I to assume that it’s customary for servamps to refer to one another as siblings?" Izaya inquired.

Lawless gasped melodramatically.  
“He really hasn’t taught you _anything_ , has he? How horrible, what a neglectful father he is! Have you even eaten yet? You must be starving! Come, come, I’ll show you the best way to grab a bite in this city without alerting C3. You can’t kill anyone cause they’ll track you down real fast if you do, but there are safe ways to feed without leaving behind a trail of bodies,” Lawless insisted.  
“That won’t be necessary, I’ve already eaten,” Izaya spoke softly, flashing Lawless a deliberately shy smile as he added, “But I’d like to hear more about your siblings and this C3 you mentioned.”  
Lawless wrapped an arm around Izaya’s shoulders and pulled him close. Izaya stumbled from his perch, cringing at the unexpected breach of his personal space but didn’t voice his protest.  
“Don’t worry, young one, I’ll teach you everything you need to know!”

********

It was still dark outside Shizuo’s bedroom window when he awoke. He glanced around for his clock before remembering he’d smashed it the previous morning. Sighing he reached for his phone instead, squinting at the bright display and realising it was still only 3am. He’d gone to bed around 6pm, so he couldn’t blame himself for waking up before sunrise. Rolling over, he intended to go back to sleep only to bang his head on something hard resting beside his pillow.  
“Ow, what the fuck?” Shizuo growled, sitting up to glare at the culprit. The room was too dark to clearly see what it was, but he could make out a faint blue glow emitting from under his blanket.

Suddenly wide awake, Shizuo roughly pulled back the blanket to reveal the large glowing hammer he’d feared he’d find. It hadn’t been a dream, Shizuo realised as he stared at the weapon in disbelief. What the hell was he supposed to do with a giant hammer? Why had Izaya’s mind given him a weapon? Was Izaya even aware of it? He couldn’t imagine Izaya ever willingly giving him something that would make it easier to kill him. They were both aware of the frailty of their current truce. There was every possibility that either one of them could change their mind at any moment and try to kill the other again. So why would Izaya do something like this? That weird creature in his mind had said that it was to protect Izaya, but Shizuo knew Izaya would never accept that. He’d sooner ask Shizuo to attack him with it than admit he needed protection.

Where was the flea anyway? Shizuo glanced around his bedroom uselessly, knowing he wouldn’t find him. His scent was faint. Izaya clearly hadn’t come back yet. But it’d be sunrise in a few hours. Izaya would most likely come back before then. It’d be easier to just wait for him, Shizuo knew that. Unfortunately patience wasn’t exactly his strong suit. Shizuo dragged himself out of bed and started pulling on his bartender uniform. Shizuo hesitated as he instinctively reached for his sunglasses. He usually wore his sunglasses even at night but that was because he couldn’t be bothered taking them off. It would be silly to put on his sunglasses to go out at night, he decided. Leaving them on his bedroom dresser, he grabbed his box of cigarettes instead and tucked them into his breast pocket.

Shizuo made it about ten steps outside his bedroom door before a familiar tugging at his wrist stopped him. Not this shit again, Shizuo scowled as he looked down to find the black chain was indeed around his wrist once more. Except this time the chain was connected to the hammer instead of around Izaya’s neck.  
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Shizuo growled as he marched back to grab the weapon. Shizuo hoped Izaya hadn’t gone far. He didn’t want to spend the rest of the night lugging this damn hammer around as he wandered the city in search of the vampire. Shizuo supposed he could always call Izaya and ask where he was, but he doubted he even had the right bloody number saved. The bastard had like ten different phones and likely wouldn’t answer any of them if he called anyway.

Shizuo ignored the startled reactions he gathered from the occasional pedestrian as he walked by. He’d thought the terrified stares he usually got were annoying but this was even worse. Apparently the sight of Shizuo Heiwajima with a giant hammer slung over his shoulder was enough to send the inhabitants of Ikebukuro running for their lives. Shizuo was glad that it was so late at night because that meant there weren’t as many people on the streets. His temper was quickly thinning with every overdramatic retreat and he was worried if this kept up he’d eventually snap and just hit someone with it. Sighing heavily, Shizuo tried to focus on the task at hand. He hadn’t caught scent of Izaya yet so that meant the bastard was most likely in Shinjuku. He’d probably fled back to his apartment again, Shizuo guessed, as he turned to head in the direction of Shinjuku. Hopefully Izaya had calmed down from his earlier outburst. Shizuo didn’t want to fight again. At least not right now anyway. Besides, the last thing he needed was for Izaya to piss him off while he was holding a giant hammer. 

********

“Brother Sloth hasn’t sired a subclass in centuries! He must’ve seen something really special in you to make him change his mind,” Lawless chatted as they walked the streets of Shinjuku. Izaya decided it was better to remain silent, simply nodding and leaving the servamp to carry the conversation. The chatty servamp didn’t appear to mind this arrangement and spent the entire trip talking one-sidedly. Izaya already knew a fair amount of information about the servamps, but Lawless provided further insight into their recent activities that hadn’t been in the report. Lawless filled him in on some interesting events that had occurred between Tsubaki and the original servamps over the past few months. He gratefully accepted every new piece of information, filing it away in his mind for later. He was particularly interested in hearing about his assumed sire, Sleepy Ash. Izaya had been curious about Sleepy Ash ever since he’d read that his animal form was also a cat. He knew there must be some connection between them and Lawless’s reaction had further supported his theory.  

According to Lawless, until a few weeks ago all the servamps had been in Tokyo. Tsubaki had posed a significant threat towards them and the conflict had only been recently resolved. Tsubaki hadn’t been heard from since the incident and most of his subclasses were living their lives freely, as was his last request. Whereas the more dangerous of his subclasses had been locked up in a C3 prison.  
“Nee-san and Wor-kun left Japan after that. Nee-san went back to her apple farm even though her eve’s no longer around and Wor-kun’s probably in Italy. He really adores Italian food,” Lawless informed him. Izaya gathered that Wor-kun must refer to World End, the servamp of “Gluttony”.  
“Angel-chan decided he wanted to stay in Tokyo for a while longer but I don’t mind at all. The others all have eves that live in Tokyo, so we get to see each other way more than we used to,” Lawless explained with a pleased grin. Izaya assumed this “Angel-chan” must be Lawless’s eve.

Lawless suddenly stopped outside a hotel not too far from Izaya’s apartment building.  
“This is the hotel I’m staying at,” he explained. It was high-end, mainly frequented by celebrities and the incredibly wealthy. Izaya supposed if you lived a few thousand years you’d develop a lot of savings. Although he wondered what kind of job a servamp could acquire being constrained to the night only. Izaya had been lucky that he could perform his work from home without issue.  
“My eve’s sleeping right now, but you’re welcome to spend the day in our hotel room if you don’t have somewhere else to hide from the sun. It’ll be dawn in a couple hours and it would be awful if the sun got you so young. I’ll contact Brother Sloth in the morning and tell him I found his lost subclass. I’m sure he’s worried sick. Actually, knowing him he probably just thought going out to look for you was too much trouble. But I’m sure his eve, Mahiru, must be concerned,” Lawless offered.

The last thing Izaya needed was Lawless contacting Sleepy Ash and finding out he wasn’t his subclass. From what he’d heard, their experience with Tsubaki hadn’t been pleasant and Izaya was sure the arrival of another servamp would be less than welcome. He knew that his lie would be found out soon enough. After all, the next time Lawless spoke to Sleepy Ash he’d most likely mention him. But Izaya just needed this façade to last long enough to gather as much information as he could. Then he would decide if he wanted to reveal himself to the other servamps or simply keep his existence hidden.  
Izaya ducked his head and tried to look meek, “No, no, that’s okay. Thank you but there’s no need for that. I’ll be returning to your brother tonight. It’s my fault for wandering so late.”  
“Well I’m glad you did! It’s been a while since I’ve met such a sweet, little subclass. Come by anytime, young one,” Lawless grinned, ruffling a hand through Izaya’s hair. Izaya resisted the urge to slap his hand away.

Izaya couldn’t believe his luck. He’d managed to stumble upon another servamp completely by accident and an incredibly informative one at that. He’d learnt more about servamps in one day than he had searching the web tirelessly for hours the day before. Everything had gone so smoothly.  
“Izayaaaa!” a familiar voice bellowed from across the street. Fuck. Of course the brute would come and ruin everything. The pair of servamps turned in the direction of the shout simultaneously. Shizuo marched towards them carrying an outrageously oversized hammer slung carelessly over his shoulder. Wait, Izaya realised with a start, was the hammer glowing blue? What the hell?  
“How the hell did you find me?” Izaya hissed, “And what the hell are you carrying?”  
“You should know, you shitty flea. Some creepy as fuck cat-doll claiming to be from your mind gave it to me. Now tell me how to get rid of it, you damn bastard,” Shizuo growled and then paused abruptly as he noticed the other man beside Izaya, “Who the hell is this?”

Izaya glanced nervously at Lawless but the other servamp was silent as he stared at Shizuo, particularly at the large hammer he carried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never know how much Japanese slang to keep in without looking like an uncultured otaku. The majority of this fic sticks to English but there's some words and phrases that just don't come across right in an English translation of Japanese. I've kept things like 'chan' and 'senpai' so I thought I might as well keep Nii-san and Nee-san as well. No one in english calls their siblings 'Brother' or 'Sister' so it feels better keeping it that way. Let me know if it bothers you though. I wanna know what my readers prefer :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two assignments done but I still managed to get this chapter out in a reasonable amount of time. I'm pretty pleased with myself tbh xD

Lawless had taken an immediate interest in Kuro’s new subclass. On the surface Nakura seemed totally unremarkable. He was polite and quiet, giving off an impression of naivety that you’d expect from someone unexpectedly caught up in something they didn’t understand. But Lawless could sense there was far more to Nakura than he was letting on. Lawless had known hundreds of actors in his lifetime, many of his eves having been famous entertainers after all. He recognised the signs of a performance when he saw one. Oh it was a very convincing one, he would admit, but it _was_ an act. Nakura must be an excellent liar. It seemed to come naturally to him, slipping into his chosen persona as easily as breathing. It made Lawless wonder what the real Nakura was like. He thought he saw a glimpse of it earlier when the man had quoted Shakespeare back to him. The barest hint of a smirk played at the man’s lips and a glimmer of smugness sparkled in his red eyes before the mask neatly fell back into place.

Lawless was disappointed when the subclass refused his offer to spend the day in his hotel room. It was a shame that their time together had to end so soon. But it would be a bigger shame if the sun claimed the subclass before he could study him further. He was so curious to know why Kuro had chosen Nakura. Kuro hadn’t sired anyone in centuries! It was odd that he had suddenly changed his mind. It was even weirder that he’d abandoned Nakura so soon after his transition. Lawless could tell that Nakura was freshly turned. His aura was still heavily clouded with the remnants of his humanity. He couldn’t be more than a month old, Lawless assessed. His brother was lazy to be sure, but he had never shirked his responsibilities as a sire this badly before. It was their duty to teach and guide their subclasses while they were fledglings, ensuring they were fully prepared for what their afterlife entailed. It was possible that Kuro had just forgotten how to properly take care of a subclass after all these years, Lawless supposed, but that didn’t seem likely. It felt like he was missing some crucial piece of information.

“Izayaaaa!” a loud voice boomed suddenly and Lawless watched as Nakura’s mask slipped again. His innocent smile fell and replaced itself with an annoyed scowl as he turned towards the new arrival. Lawless turned as well, finding a fuming blonde man in a bartender uniform stomping towards them. At first he thought he was seeing Old Child’s eve Testu, the resemblance was striking. But it was far too late for the 14 year old to be out alone, let alone in such an odd outfit, and this was clearly a grown man. Besides that wasn’t a coffin the man had slung over his shoulder, it was a gigantic hammer. Although it wasn’t Tetsu’s lead, as he’d first thought, Lawless knew that hammer _was_ a lead. There was no doubt about it. He would recognise the weapon’s material anywhere, the black shadow-like substance glowed a familiar ethereal blue.

But who was this man? The four servamps residing in Tokyo already had eves. The others, World End and The Mother, had left the country weeks ago. Besides she’d expressly stated she had no interest in obtaining a new eve so soon after her husband’s passing. It was possible this man could be Tsubaki’s eve. The servamp hadn’t had an eve in their previous encounters, so he might have forged a contract in one last ditch effort at obtaining his revenge. But why would Tsubaki reappear now? Mahiru had assured them that the youngest servamp wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Kuro had even confirmed it himself and Lawless trusted his older brother’s judgement.  
“How the hell did you find me?” Nakura’s voice snapped Lawless out of his frantic thoughts. He’d almost forgotten the fledgling was there. 

Lawless looked at Nakura curiously. From the way he spoke, the fledgling clearly knew this man. The pair stared at each other with such intensity that Lawless felt like he was intruding on something private. What was their connection to one another? And just who _was_ this mystery eve? Did Kuro get a new eve in the past few weeks? It wasn’t his brother’s style to change eve’s so frivolously.  
“And what the hell are you carrying?” Nakura added, gesturing to the man’s lead.  
Lawless struggled to regain his ability to speak, hoping to ask some questions of his own but couldn’t get his mouth to move.  
“You should know, you shitty flea. Some creepy as fuck cat-doll claiming to be from your mind gave it to me. Now tell me how to get rid of it, you damn bastard,” the man replied, shattering any composure Lawless had managed to regain as the words registered in his mind. The blonde turned to Lawless as if just noticing him for the first time, unaware of the servamp’s inner turmoil as he asked, “Who the hell is this?”

Nakura glanced at Lawless, visibly apprehensive, but before he could reply Lawless cut him off.  
“You’re a servamp?” he accused, voicing his conclusion aloud. But that was impossible, right? The creator was dead! _Long_ dead! Izaya was still a fledgling. He couldn’t have been created more than a month ago. So how could he be a servamp?  
Nakura’s entire demeanour shifted at the allegation. There was no trace left of the naïve little fledgling Lawless had interacted with earlier. Instead Nakura held himself with a confidence that seemed to radiate off him. His frown twisted into a sharp smirk and he lifted his hands up in a carefree shrug.  
“Ah well, you caught me~” Nakura sighed but he didn’t look very concerned, “Izaya Orihara, pleased to meet you.”  
Nakura –Izaya– bowed, spreading out the edges of his coat like a skirt so that it more resembled a curtsey before pouncing over to the blonde’s side with the grace of a cat.

“This monster here is my eve, Shizu-chan,” Izaya stated and the blonde growled in annoyance at the label. Shizuo visibly tightened his grip on his weapon but Izaya didn’t even glance in his direction. “Shizu-chan, this is the servamp of Greed, Lawless-chan. Now that we’re all properly acquainted, I think there are some matters we need to discuss, ne?”  
Every move Izaya made was exaggerated and over the top, like he was entertaining an audience. Lawless knew the vampire had been hiding his true nature but this was far more than he’d expected. Izaya was an entirely different person. This persona intrigued him far more than the timid one had. Whether this was the real Izaya or not, the man in front of him was a showman and Lawless could appreciate that. However, no matter how intriguing the man was, Lawless couldn’t let his guard down. Izaya was another servamp and that could only mean trouble.

Lawless wasn’t sure what to do. This was far too much information to process all at once. They’d only just finished dealing with the _last_ unexpected servamp. Tsubaki was supposed to be the last servamp created before their creator died. So who had created Izaya? And most importantly, why did his presence feel so much like Kuro’s? If he wasn’t his subclass then he should have a distinct presence of his own. Yet Izaya’s was almost identical to his eldest brother’s. The more he thought about it, the more Lawless began to fear the worst. What had they done to Kuro? Lawless tried to remember when he’d last spoken to his brother. Was it days? Weeks? Months even? It was so hard to tell. Lawless never paid attention to dates anymore. The flow of time felt so different to a vampire. Sometimes years felt like they'd passed by in the blink of an eye. Keeping track of single days or weeks was beyond him at this point.

In his rapidly growing concern, Lawless knew one thing for certain. He wasn’t going to let these two live if they’d hurt his brother in any way. Lawless manifested his rapier and in a blur of movement he had the tip pointed against Izaya’s neck.  
“What have you done to my brother?” Lawless demanded.

********

Shizuo’s body moved on its own, pulling Izaya away from the knife-edge before the sword could so much as graze his skin. He wasn’t sure where the instinct had come from but the urge to protect Izaya had felt as familiar as wanting to hurt him had for so many years. It didn’t make any sense but Shizuo didn’t have the time or patience to overthink his actions right now.  
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Shizuo growled, glaring menacingly at the raised sword and its owner. Shizuo knew this man was a vampire. A servamp, Izaya had said. He was most certainly dangerous. But even this knowledge wasn’t enough to make Shizuo waver. Lawless raised a surprised eyebrow at him, glancing at Izaya curiously. Izaya had his arms crossed, looking slightly annoyed at being saved, but didn’t make any moves to attack or assist either of them.

“We haven’t done anything to your dear brother, Lawless-chan. In fact, I’ve never even met him. In case you haven’t realised, I was lying to you earlier. You’re the first and only servamp I’ve ever encountered,” Izaya admitted, sounding uncharacteristically honest. He must really want to diffuse this situation. The guy was either a valuable source of information or a useful pawn for Izaya, Shizuo realised. Maybe both since Izaya hadn’t reached for his knife yet.  
“I don’t believe you,” Lawless rejected Izaya’s excuses and tried to take a step toward the other vampire but his movement was immediately blocked by Shizuo. Lawless scowled and pointed his weapon at Shizuo threateningly, “Get out of my way.”

“I wouldn’t bother, Lawless-chan. My eve is quite sturdy. I doubt that toothpick will even penetrate his skin,” Izaya chuckled. He danced backwards several feet before settling upon the hood of a nearby parked car, content to do what he did best: observe. Lawless frowned in confusion at Izaya’s obvious retreat.  
“What are you doing? You can’t just leave your eve to fight me alone,” Lawless scoffed.  
“Actually that’s exactly what I plan to do,” Izaya admitted with a shrug and an amused grin, “Let’s make a wager, shall we? If my eve wins then you have to listen to what I have to say and give me any useful information you have on the matter. Sound reasonable?”  
“That’s a pretty big gamble just for a conversation,” Lawless scoffed, “So what happens if I win?”  
“Well obviously you’re welcome to kill my eve and drink him dry, I suppose,” Izaya shrugged.

“Oi! What the fuck, Izaya?” Shizuo snapped. The flea was betting his life away like it was nothing. Shizuo was going to have a long chat with the bastard when this was over.  
“So do we have a deal?” Izaya ignored Shizuo’s protest.  
“Are you seriously going to stand by while I slaughter your eve in front of you? He’s just a human. He doesn’t stand a chance against a vampire,” Lawless insisted.  
“We’ll see~” Izaya giggled, bouncing excitedly in his seat like an eager child. Lawless finally acknowledged Shizuo, looking at him with pity.  
“Man, just your luck that you ended up with such a crazy servamp, huh? Oh well. No hard feelings, yeah?” Lawless sighed before launching himself forward in a blur of speed.

Shizuo knew he couldn’t keep track of the vampire’s movements, so he didn’t even try. Instead he readied himself for an oncoming blow, tensing his grip on the handle of the hammer in anticipation. Maybe he’d be able to hit the bastard once he knew where he was, Shizuo speculated. Strategy wasn’t exactly his forte.  
“Shizu-chan, duck!” Izaya called unexpectedly and Shizuo narrowly managed to avoid being decapitated by the swing of Lawless’ blade. Shizuo made a swipe at the vampire’s legs as he did, but Lawless jumped before he could make contact, landing a few feet back. Shizuo looked at Izaya quizzically, surprised the flea decided to help him. A week ago Izaya would have jumped at the chance to get Shizuo killed. Being on the same side felt seriously bizarre.  
“Now that isn’t fair~ You said you wouldn’t help him,” Lawless whined, pouting at Izaya melodramatically, leaning both hands on the handle of his rapier like a cane.  
“I never said I wouldn’t assist him a little. He’s only human, after all. Don’t tell me you’re afraid you’ll lose, Lawless-chan?” Izaya scoffed. Lawless laughed heartily at the suggestion.  
“Of course not! Be my guest, help him as much as you like. There’s still no way I’m going to lose to a human,” Lawless grinned confidently and disappeared in another blur.

Izaya’s eyes tracked the other vampire’s movements precisely, likely predicting his next actions. For once Shizuo was glad to have the scheming bastard on his side.   
 “To your left,” Izaya instructed calmly and Shizuo dodged without question. He felt the air rush past him as Lawless’ blade just missed slashing his arm. Before Shizuo could even strike back, Lawless had already disappeared.  
“Behind you!” Izaya shouted and Shizuo turned swiftly, blocking the blow with the handle of his hammer. The weapons collided with a loud clang that echoed throughout the street, but Shizuo’s arms hardly shifted at the force. Shizuo had a second to notice Lawless’ eyes widen in surprise, before the vampire was on the move again. Izaya’s instructions came one after another, predicting Lawless’ attacks moments before they landed.

Shizuo struggled to keep up with the swift commands.  
“Come on, Shizu-chan, don’t just stand there! Hit him already!” Izaya jeered between orders. Shizuo’s frustration was rapidly growing and Izaya’s heckling was _not_ helping. He took back being glad that Izaya was on his side. This was more annoying than getting stabbed.  
“Shut up, bastard. I’m _trying_!” Shizuo growled, throwing a wild punch to his right and only hitting air. This was harder than trying to hit the flea and that was back when he was still human. Lawless was too damn fast. Shizuo had no chance of landing a blow if he had no idea where to hit, dammit! He hadn’t even had the chance to lift his hammer yet because he was constantly dodging attacks.  
As if on cue, Izaya taunted, “You know you have a real weapon now, right? I know it’s a foreign concept, but shockingly people _can_ be hit with things other than vending machines.”

Shizuo growled but didn’t retort, trying hard to concentrate on the glimpses of orange and black he caught in his peripheral vision. He gripped the handle of his hammer in both hands and the next moment Izaya shouted ‘left’, he violently swung it in that direction. For a brief moment Shizuo thought it might actually hit but Lawless just managed to escape the hammer’s path, jumping back as the heavy projectile slammed into a parked car instead. Unfortunately it was a different car than the one Izaya was perched upon, grinning more maniacally as the fight went on. His hammer demolished the car, the vehicle crushing like tinfoil beneath the hammer’s force. Even Shizuo was surprised by the damage. He hadn’t thought he’d swung that hard. He’d been holding back since he didn’t actually wanna kill this guy. Although he supposed vampires weren’t technically alive anyway. Still, he didn’t want to make anyone disappear for good.

Lawless finally stopped, gaping at the crushed remains of the car in utter disbelief.  
“I warned you it wouldn’t be so easy, Lawless-chan,” Izaya cackled in delight.  
“What kind of human _are_ you? Sure, eve’s are stronger than regular humans but this is ridiculous!” Lawless cried, his voice pitching towards hysterical. He didn’t sound scared though, more like intrigued or fascinated. It reminded Shizuo of Shinra. _No_. It reminded him of the flea. Lawless was looking at him in the exact same way Izaya had looked at him the first time they met. Shizuo couldn’t help the instinctual growl that escaped his throat at the thought. One flea was more than enough.  
“Ah that’s where you made your mistake, Lawless-chan. You see, Shizu-chan isn’t a human,” Izaya purred from his seat with a satisfied smirk, “He’s a _beast_.”  
Shizuo was seriously pissed off. Mostly he was annoyed at himself for so easily letting himself become one of Izaya’s pawns. He decided to channel his irritation into the fight. The quicker this was over, the sooner he could drag the smirking bastard home to fix this hammer mess. All Shizuo had to do was disarm Lawless and the fight would be won, right?

Shizuo pounced forward, his anger fuelled by Izaya’s words as he lunged towards the stunned vampire, reaching for Lawless’ weapon. The vampire was clearly caught off guard by the sudden attack, but he still moved much faster than Shizuo was capable. The rapier sped towards him in reaction, the blade piercing through his outstretched right hand. The sword stabbed all the way through his palm out the back of his hand, thankfully stopping before it could pierce anything else. Dammit that really hurt, Shizuo mentally hissed. It reminded him of the time that idiot high-schooler had stabbed him with a pen. Lawless halted, seeming shocked by Shizuo’s lack of reaction, but it was enough time for Shizuo to gain his bearings. Closing his speared hand around the blade, he pulled the weapon towards him. The blade sliced his palm as he did so but he ignored the sting, wrenching the rapier easily out of Lawless’ grasp. Shizuo let go of the hammer in his left hand so he could messily draw the blade out of his right, before tossing the weapon far away. It sailed through the air like an arrow, vanishing into the night sky far out of sight.

Lawless stared at where the rapier had disappeared, marvelling at the ridiculous distance it had travelled. Shizuo didn’t care where it landed. He’d won. He stared at his bleeding hand in distaste, moving to wipe it on his vest before pausing when he realised that would stain the clothes his brother gave him. Instead Shizuo stomped over to Izaya and wiped his blood onto the arm of the bastard’s precious coat. Izaya flinched away at first, disgust clear in his expression but then he froze. His pupils visibly dilated and his breathing hitched as he inhaled deeply. The next moment Izaya had his face buried in the fabric of his sleeve and he was sniffing the scent greedily. Shizuo resisted a snicker as he watched the vampire’s involuntary response to his blood. It hadn’t exactly been the reaction he’d intended but it was satisfying in its own way. Izaya would no doubt be mortified when he finally snapped outta the wave of bloodlust and that was good enough for Shizuo. How long had it been since Izaya had fed? It was at least a whole day. How often was Izaya supposed to eat? Maybe Shizuo should consider feeding him when they got back home.

Suddenly a sharp pain interrupted his thoughts as something pierced through Shizuo’s left shoulder. He hissed in pain, looking down to find the tip of Lawless’ rapier coated red and sticking out of his chest. How the hell did that bastard get his sword back so fast? It must be some magic bullshit, Shizuo reasoned. He inspected the wound dully, his body going numb with shock. A little further down and it might have pierced his heart, Shizuo realised with a start. This was the first time any blade had ever made it so far past his muscles. Even bullets hadn’t been able to fully penetrate the steel-like fibres. _More magic bullshit_ , Shizuo sighed.  
“Never turn your back on an opponent in the middle of a fight,” Lawless advised, twisting the blade inside Shizuo’s shoulder painfully. Shizuo grunted in pain, which seemed to wake Izaya from his daze because the vampire flinched. His face snapped away from his bloodstained sleeve and he quickly surveyed the situation.

Izaya’s face went blank on shock as his eyes landed on the blade protruding from Shizuo’s chest. Red eyes flared with outrage and Izaya’s lips pressed white in a hard line. Shizuo had never seen such raw emotion in Izaya’s eyes before. There was a blur of movement and suddenly Izaya was gone. Shizuo didn’t have time to wonder where he went though, because less than a second later he heard Lawless groan in pain and the rapier was wrenched roughly out of his chest in the same moment. Shizuo winced at the rough treatment, clutching at his shoulder tightly to slow the bleeding. He’d definitely have to visit Shinra for this one. He briefly wondered if the doctor would mind being woken up this early before deciding he didn’t care. Shizuo twisted around to see Lawless laying on his back several metres down the street, a long line of broken asphalt showing where he’d scraped across the road. His rapier had skid to a halt a few feet away from his open hand. Shizuo’s eyes looked for Izaya, finding the vampire panting hard and gripping Shizuo’s forgotten hammer in both hands. The hammer was still outstretched in front of him, paused on the end of a swing like a golfer.

Izaya eyes were crazed, looking almost feral as he glared at the other vampire. His lips curled back on a snarl that bared his fangs aggressively. Shizuo hadn’t noticed the sharp canines until now. Were they always extended like that? Shizuo didn’t think so. Lawless groaned exaggeratedly from the ground.  
“No fair, I thought you weren’t playing,” he accused. Izaya seemed too angry to reply, rearing the hammer back and tensing as if for another swing. Shizuo was worried that the informant might really kill the other vampire if he didn’t say something.  
“The fight was already over. I disarmed you, so I won. You’re the one who cheated,” Shizuo claimed.  
“Now who said those were the rules? I assumed the fight wasn’t over until one of us was dead,” Lawless chuckled. Izaya hissed loudly in response and tensed his grip on the hammer.

Shizuo decided he should probably take the weapon back before Izaya could do any more damage. He attempted to pry the handle out of Izaya’s clenched fists, but the moment Shizuo placed his hands carefully over Izaya’s the informant startled. He dropped the hammer immediately, flinching away from the gentle touch as if he’d been burned. Izaya refused to meet Shizuo’s eyes as he visibly tried to compose himself. Shizuo had the urge to ask Izaya if he was okay but he knew that would probably just piss the informant off. Instead he stalked over to Lawless.  
“We never said it was a fight to the death. I’m not interested in killing you. So just give up and admit that I won because it’s gonna be sunrise soon and that’s pretty inconvenient for you guys, right?” Shizuo said, offering his hand to the fallen vampire. Lawless regarded him skeptically for a moment, before reluctantly accepting it and pulling himself to his feet.

“Fine. You can have the stupid win,” Lawless pouted childishly before his face turned serious, “But this doesn’t mean I’m finished with either of you yet. I want you to explain who you are and what you’ve done to my brother.”  
“My name is Shizuo Heiwajima. I don’t know what you’re talking about or who your brother is but if anyone can find out what happened to your brother, it’s probably this flea bastard,” Shizuo glanced at Izaya. His usual smirk had returned and Izaya looked just as in control as he had earlier, but Shizuo knew Izaya well enough to know the vampire was still rattled.  
“For once, I agree with Shizu-chan. How about we stop squabbling like children and try talking this out like adults, ne?”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I got absolutely drowned in Uni assignments and my hours went up at work simultaneously Q.Q  
> But I managed to get this chapter out before September was over so I still reached my goal of at least one chapter update a month. I hope there isn't too long a wait before the next one. My uni term is finished in a few weeks and then I'm on holidays again :D

Shizuo haphazardly tossed Lawless’s rapier far out of reach. Izaya slumped against the windshield and tried not to let his relief show on his face. Now that was more like it. For a moment he’d almost feared the other servamp would win. It would’ve been a pain having to kill one of his best sources of vampiric information so soon after acquiring him. But there was no way he would’ve allowed the servamp to actually kill Shizuo. The only one allowed to kill him was Izaya, after all.

But Shizuo had triumphed in the end, of course. He didn’t know why he’d ever doubted the fact. The brute was unstoppable, even against other monsters. Lawless never stood a chance. Izaya smirked, watching Shizuo frown at his bleeding hand in distaste. He moved to wipe the blood on his vest but froze just before his hand made contact with the material, apparently thinking better of it. Instead he turned to Izaya and stomped over to him grumpily. Izaya felt his smirk widen even further as he appreciated the familiar scowl on the blonde’s face. Anger suited Shizuo far more than the concern he’d insisted on displaying lately. He prepared to make a teasing remark but the blonde cut him off by wiping his wounded hand along the left arm of Izaya’s coat. Izaya recoiled, his smirk twisting into a scowl and he glared at Shizuo in disgust. That is, until the scent hit him.

Izaya’s awareness of the world around him narrowed as his stomach clenched in recognition. He hadn’t even felt hungry before that moment, but now the hunger steadily consumed him. That familiar, enticing aroma enveloped his senses and Izaya’s body moved on its own, burying his face into the stained material and breathing it in greedily. It was counterproductive, doing little to satisfy him and only making his hunger more intense, but the logical part of his mind was dulled. He was an animal of instinct, the only clear thought in his mind being “feed”.

Then he heard Shizuo hiss in pain and his hunger vanished. The scent of Shizuo’s blood coated the air thickly but Izaya barely noticed it. His head snapped frantically towards the noise, his eyes landing on the blade protruding from Shizuo’s chest. The other servamp spoke but Izaya couldn’t understand the words, his mind still driven by primal thoughts. Still, he was conscious enough to notice when Lawless intentionally twisted the blade.  
“Kill him,” a familiar voice hissed inside his head. Izaya was suddenly in two places at once. One part of him still sat on the car, while another resided inside his mind beside the demon from earlier. The creature was fuming, the fur trim of his tiny hood turning a dark red to match the bright glow of his eyes.

“He tried to kill your eve. _Kill him!_ ” the creature ordered. Izaya didn’t argue, for once in complete agreement with the creature. Lawless had made a grave mistake and Izaya was going to make sure he paid for it. Izaya lunged off the car, grabbing Shizuo’s fallen hammer from the pavement and swinging it towards Lawless with all the strength he possessed. The impact jarred his arms satisfyingly and he relished the dull ache in his muscles. Lawless dug into the rough surface of the pavement, the road crunching under the impact. It wasn’t enough. Izaya wanted to make the vampire bleed.  
“Blood for blood,” the demon hissed, the thought pleasing Izaya. He would make Lawless pay for each and every wasted drop of Shizuo’s blood. That blood was _his._ Shizu-chan was _his._ Only Izaya was allowed to make his Shizu-chan bleed.

The servamp spoke. Izaya snarled in reply and readied the hammer for another swing. Shizuo said something to the servamp as Lawless pulled himself to his feet, but Izaya didn’t care what he was saying either. The word ‘dead’ registered in Izaya’s mind among Lawless’s words and he hissed at the threat, stepping in front of Shizuo defensively.  
“Do it now,” the demon growled, “Kill him before he can kill your eve. You need to protect what’s yours.” Izaya tightened his grip on the hammer. But a gentle touch on his clenched fists startled Izaya before he could attack. His head snapped towards the culprit, a warning growl on his lips but it caught in his throat when he locked eyes with Shizu-chan. Shizuo was looking at him in apprehension and it made Izaya’s chest clench painfully. This was the closest to fear he’d ever seen from the blonde and Izaya flinched at the thought, dropping the hammer instantly. As if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him, he returned to his senses immediately.

What the fuck was that? Izaya tried to make sense of his actions. He’d never lost control like that before, even the few times he’d been consumed by blood lust. It was like he’d become a different person. That wasn’t him. Those thoughts weren’t his. Izaya wasn’t protective of anyone. Especially not that brute, he told himself firmly. God, he couldn’t believe he’d thought of Shizu-chan as _his._ Ugh, he was glad he hadn’t said any of it aloud. He’d never live the embarrassment down. Izaya decided it was all that demon’s fault. The creature was gone, having fled back to whatever depths of his mind it resided. Izaya felt sick at being used as its puppet, his appetite completely gone despite the tempting smell of Shizuo’s blood still thick in the air.

Izaya realised the two men were still talking and forced himself to pay attention again. He could freak out about his actions later.  
“My name is Shizuo Heiwajima. I don’t know what you’re talking about or who your brother is but if anyone can find out what happened to your brother, it’s probably this flea bastard,” Shizuo announced, turning to study Izaya and the informant tried his best to look composed.  
“For once I agree with Shizu-chan. How about we stop squabbling like children and try talking this out like adults, ne?”

********

Lawless led the pair back to his hotel room, still suspicious but at least willing to listen to what they had to say. He’d lost fair and square and he could admit that. Shizuo was nothing like any eve or human he’d ever met. That wound to his shoulder should’ve killed him. Even without hitting any vital organs, the blood loss alone should’ve incapacitated him. Yet the blonde hardly seemed to notice the wound. Lawless couldn’t understand it. The force he’d put behind the blow should’ve sliced his arm clean off. Instead it’d been a struggle to make it past the skin. He’d been aiming for Shizuo’s heart but couldn’t help the angle shifting as he was hindered by a wall of strong muscle. Stabbing him had felt like stabbing an array of steel fibres. Lawless had felt cement with more give than Shizuo’s body. He watched the blonde curiously as he carried the giant hammer over his shoulder with no issue. His strength seemingly unchanged, despite the deep wound in his other. He understood now why Izaya had felt so confident. If he had an eve this strong, Lawless would send them into fights all the time simply to see what they were capable of. 

But Izaya’s behaviour suggested he wasn’t as apathetic about his eve as Lawless had originally thought. Izaya had seemed nonchalant at the suggestion of Shizuo’s death at first. He’d shown no concern for his eve’s safety whatsoever. But Izaya had turned surprisingly protective when Shizuo had been harmed. Lawless would do the same for Licht, of course. But Shizuo couldn’t have been Izaya’s eve for very long. That kind of familiarity and concern didn’t occur naturally between servamps and their eves. They must’ve known each other before Izaya was turned. Based on their interactions earlier, he didn’t think they were friends though. Shizuo and Izaya seemed to hold some amount of disdain for one another. Though Izaya cared more than he’d like to admit, Lawless decided, rubbing his aching chest absentmindedly. Their hammer sure packed a punch.

Izaya glanced at the hotel room in appreciation before settling onto the large white couch. Shizuo went to sit down beside him but the vampire held up a hand to stop him.  
“Uh-uh I don’t think so, Shizu-chan. This is a fancy place. Not to mention this is a _white_ couch and you’re dripping blood everywhere. Go clean yourself up or sit on the floor like a dog. I know which one I would prefer,” Izaya said condescendingly, his smirk patronizing. Shizuo growled, clenching his fists around the hammer’s handle before dropping the weapon roughly into Izaya’s lap. The vampire let out an _oof_ at the impact, but Shizuo didn’t seem concerned. He simply turned around and stomped over towards the balcony, roughly grabbing a cigarette out of his pocket as he went. The glass in the sliding door shuddered as Shizuo slammed it behind him and Lawless cringed, surprised the glass didn’t shatter.   

“Always so dramatic, Shizu-chan,” Izaya chuckled, even though the blonde couldn’t hear him. Izaya’s eyes lingered on the blonde’s form through the glass for a few moments, the smirk on his face turning almost fond before he turned his attention back to Lawless. Definitely not friends, Lawless mused, perhaps their relationship was even more complicated than he thought? How interesting.  
“So, where were we? Ah yes, you owe me some information. A deal’s a deal, after all,” Izaya said, his fingers tapping idly against the handle of the hammer. He didn’t bother moving it from his lap, likely preparing himself in the event their conversation turned sour.  
“First I wanna know what you did to my brother to make your aura feel just like his,” Lawless insisted. He decided to remain standing, crossing his arms impatiently.  
“I’m afraid I don’t know anything about that just yet, although I do have my theories. If you’re willing to wait a day or two, I should be able to find the answer to all your questions. I happen to be an information broker, you see,” Izaya told him with a calm shrug.

Lawless frowned, studying Izaya apprehensively. He didn’t appear to be lying and Shizuo _had_ mentioned something similar earlier. The blonde struck Lawless as the brutally honest type, so he trusted Shizuo’s word far more than he did Izaya’s. Although it was still hard to trust either of them.  
“Well do you at least know who turned you? Our original creator is dead and we assumed the method of creating servamps died with him. Clearly we were wrong,” Lawless frowned.  
“Ah yes, that I can tell you. He’s the father of a friend of mine, actually. A walking mad scientist cliché and obsessed with all things supernatural. But you don’t need to worry about him. I’ll deal with him myself soon enough,” Izaya assured him.  
“I _will_ worry about him because he probably did something to my brother to make you this way,” Lawless hissed.

“How do you know for certain something’s happened to him?” Izaya asked, “You seemed to be under the impression he was fine a few hours ago. You even mistook me for him. Surely you’d notice if your brother disappeared.”  
Lawless wasn’t about to admit that _no_ he wouldn’t notice. He hadn’t talked to his brother since the Tsubaki incident. Licht was a very busy kid and the last time he’d spoken to his brother before this whole mess was centuries beforehand. Going a long time without contact was nothing new.  
“That was before I knew there was a new servamp running around with his aura. There’s no way that could’ve happened unless Kuro was involved in your creation somehow. He might be in trouble,” Lawless explained. He tried not to imagine the messed up experiments he’d probably been subjected to in order to create Izaya. And what about Mahiru? The kid wouldn’t leave Kuro behind and they would’ve heard from him if Kuro had been taken alone. Lawless would need to ask Licht to try calling Mahiru as soon as he woke up. It was getting pretty close to sunrise. Licht would be waking for his early morning piano practise in an hour or so.

Clearly thinking along the same lines, Izaya asked, “Can’t you just call him? Or are vampires against cell phones as much as the elderly are? I suppose you are technically senior citizens.”  
“Servamps don’t need cell phones. There’s no point. We change eves and travel constantly. Besides, phones only last a few years and replacing them is bothersome. Who needs a phone when every human we meet will die in a matter of decades anyway? What’s the point in trying to keep in contact when you’ll just have to mourn them later?” Lawless sighed.  
“That’s an awfully bleak way of looking at things. I’d rather cherish every human interaction I possibly can while I have the chance. Sure the individuals may die, but humanity lives on. Hundreds of thousands of people die every single day. Yet humans still go about their lives, making the most of their limited time on Earth to live an array of different lives. No two humans live the exact same life. Isn’t it fascinating?” Izaya insisted, a glint of mania in his eyes.

Before Lawless could reply to the bizarre statement, Shizuo stumbled back into the living room looking pale and fatigued.   
“Izaya,” Shizuo croaked. Izaya scowled at the interruption.  
“Shizu-chan, we’re in the middle of a conversation. Go back to chasing lung cancer outside.”  
“Shut up, bastard,” Shizuo replied tiredly, “I don’t feel so good. I think I should probably go see Shinra.”  
Just as he finished that statement the blonde’s legs gave out from underneath him and he collapsed to the floor with a loud thump. The hammer beside the couch disappeared in the same instant, likely appearing as a small tattoo somewhere on Shizuo’s body, but Izaya didn’t seem to notice.  
“Shizu-chan!” Izaya cried, out of his seat and at his side in the blink of an eye. Izaya shook Shizuo’s uninjured shoulder frantically.  
“Wake up, brute. This isn’t funny.”  
  
“It’s probably blood loss,” Lawless guessed. Izaya stripped away Shizuo’s shirt to confirm Lawless’s diagnosis. The wound was bleeding steadily, the exposed muscle in Shizuo’s shoulder quivering.  
“You idiot, say something sooner next time,” Izaya chastised the unconscious blonde. Izaya ripped away Shizuo’s sleeve and tightly wrapped it around the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding.  
“It should’ve stopped bleeding by now. Shizu-chan normally heals faster than this,” Izaya hissed, frowning at the wound in confusion.  
“Our weapons are designed to wound other vampires. They have magical properties that hinder advanced healing,” Lawless explained.  
“And _why_ didn’t you mention that earlier?” Izaya growled, his frustration turning towards Lawless. Lawless shrugged, “He seemed fine and I wasn’t sure if I could trust either of you yet. I still don’t.”  
Izaya huffed in annoyance, pulling Shizuo onto his back in a loose approximation of a piggy back. It looked awkward since Shizuo was far taller than Izaya and totally limp, but the vampire managed to gain a stable grip on the human.

He started to move towards the door but Lawless blocked his path. He couldn’t just let Izaya leave. He hadn’t answered any of his questions yet.  
“Get out of my way,” Izaya demanded. Lawless shook his head.  
“You can’t go. I still haven’t found out what happened to my brother,” Lawless replied. Izaya scowled, shifting his grip on Shizuo to reach into his pocket.  
“I told you I’d look into it. You can believe me when I tell you I’m just as curious as you are. But it’ll be daylight soon and I need to get him medical attention before that happens. So move aside before I _make you_ ,” Izaya warned, pulling out a switchblade and aiming it at Lawless menacingly. He looked about two seconds away from attempting to fulfil his promise.

Lawless decided this wasn’t a fight he wanted to win. He didn’t want Shizuo to die like this. The guy seemed nice enough. Besides he needed to inform his brothers of the situation anyway. Perhaps they’d know more about Kuro’s whereabouts. Hell, Kuro might even be completely fine and he was just overreacting. He hoped that was the case.  
“Alright, but you’re coming back to this apartment. _Tonight_. If you don’t show by midnight, I swear I’ll hunt you down and this time I won’t be alone,” Lawless threatened him.  
“Fine, fine. Now get out of my way,” Izaya growled. Lawless stepped aside. Izaya was out the door before he’d finished moving.

********

Shizuo woke up to a dark room and numbness in his left shoulder. He groaned, blinking the grogginess out of his eyes and tried to remember where he was. He remembered getting stabbed by that orange-haired vampire and waiting on the balcony for Izaya to finish talking to the bastard. But everything after that was a blank. His clothing felt stiff and uncomfortable, making him realise he was wearing a hospital gown. Okay so that meant he was either at a hospital or Shinra’s. The latter was more likely since he hadn’t gone to a real hospital since he was a teenager. He must’ve gone to Shinra’s about his shoulder. He knew he’d have to see the doctor about it. The wound had hurt a lot more than anything he’d experienced in a while. Shizuo was no stranger to pain and it’d been a while since something had actually affected him. The last time he’d been hurt this badly was probably when he’d gotten shot.

As his eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness around him, Shizuo noticed the dark shape of someone else in the room. Izaya was sitting on a chair beside the bed, his arms crossed over the covers of the bed with his head rested upon them. He was clearly asleep and Shizuo didn’t know whether or not he should wake him. He wanted to know how he’d gotten here, but Izaya so rarely got a good night’s sleep. Was it even night time? Probably not. Shit, Tom was likely worried about him. He should call him to let him know he’s okay and to apologise for not turning up for work today. Shizuo hadn’t brought his phone with him when he’d left the apartment, but the flea undoubtedly had a few phones on him. He carefully started searching Izaya’s coat pockets, trying not to wake the informant.

The door suddenly opened, spilling light into the room and Izaya’s coat turned to smoke in his hands. Izaya’s body shifted to the furry bundle Shizuo was slowly becoming accustomed to, landing gently in his hands. It was then that he noticed a tattoo on his left wrist. A thin line wrapped around and ended in a thick rectangle on top of his wrist. It sort of resembled a watch shape that didn’t quite connect at one end. He frowned at it, trying to figure out why the shape looked so familiar. He decided it didn’t matter right now. He’d ask Izaya about it later. No doubt it was another side effect of this servamp/eve crap. Shizuo gently placed the cat back onto the blanket in his lap. Remarkably still asleep despite the commotion, Izaya made a small chirping noise in his throat and adjusted his sleeping position. Shizuo smiled softly at the cat before glancing accusingly at the doorway.

Shinra grinned widely at him.  
“You’re awake! That’s great,” he greeted cheerfully.  
“What time is it?” Shizuo asked, glancing at the light spilling in from Shinra’s living room windows and trying to distinguish the answer for himself.  
“About 2pm. You’ve been asleep most of the day. I was really surprised when Izaya showed up with you bleeding out on our doorstep. If Izaya hadn’t gotten here when he did I don’t know if you would’ve made it. You lost a _lot_ of blood. It was even worse than when you’d been shot, especially since your usual healing capabilities were completely neutralized. You had the same healing rate as my normal patients. It was so bizarre. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever needed to give you a blood transfusion,” Shinra rambled, “I think that’s the most worried I’ve ever seen Izaya too. Have you two managed to reconcile a decade of hatred in only a few days? I’m shocked but delighted! I always knew you two would be great friends.”  
“We haven’t reconciled. We still hate each other,” Shizuo corrected him, but the words felt wrong on his tongue. It was the truth, wasn’t it? He did still hate Izaya, right?

Shizuo was even more confused to hear that Izaya had carried him here. The flea he knew would’ve left him to bleed out. Maybe Izaya wasn’t as bad as he used to be… or maybe he just didn’t want to lose his only food source. Yeah, he shouldn’t get too ahead of himself. This was Izaya, after all. Plus he _had_ technically saved Izaya’s life the other day by not agreeing to kill him. So Izaya could’ve just been making sure they were even. Well no matter his motivations, Shizuo was grateful. He pet Izaya absentmindedly and the small cat purred loudly. Fondness filled his chest and Shizuo tried to convince himself the feeling was for the cat and not the man himself. Shinra smirked at him knowingly and Shizuo tried not to let his self-consciousness show on his face.  
“Do you have a phone on you? I need to call Tom,” he said to change the subject.  
“Izaya called him this morning. You’ve been given the rest of the week off to recover,” Shinra informed him.  
“What did he tell him?” Shizuo asked, hoping Izaya hadn’t said anything unnecessary to worry Tom.  
“I think he told him that he stabbed you. He really has a bad habit of taking credit for other people’s stabbings,” Shinra chuckled. Shizuo supposed it made the most sense for Izaya to take the blame. Tom would accept that excuse without asking any questions that neither of them could answer.

“Did Izaya tell you what really happened?” Shizuo asked. Izaya was the kind of sneaky bastard to keep secrets, so he wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t.  
“Oh yes. So you guys met another servamp, huh? Celty was awfully excited. Well, after she was done worrying over you, of course. She cares about you a lot, you know. I’d be worried if I wasn’t positive you’d never dare steal my Celty away. Since you’re such a good friend of mine Shizuo, I don’t need to worry about that, right? It’d be really unfortunate to have to kill a dear friend,” Shinra’s smile didn’t waver as he casually delivered the threat.  
“Don’t worry, Shinra. Celty’s just a friend. I don’t see her that way at all,” Shizuo assured him.  
“That’s good to hear. I’m sure you’ll find someone just as lovely as my dear Celty one day. Well not _as_ lovely, that would be impossible~” Shinra sighed contently, his eyes glazing over as his mind filled with thoughts of Celty. Shizuo rolled his eyes at the lovesick fool.

Shizuo looked down at the sleeping cat. It was weird to imagine Izaya worrying about him. He wondered if the talk had gone well between the two servamps before he’d passed out.  
“Did Izaya tell you whether or not he smoothed things over with that servamp asshole or should I be expecting another fight?” Shizuo frowned.  
“Oh you don’t have to worry about that. Izaya says he’s meeting him again tonight. Celty and I are accompanying. My beloved didn’t want to miss another chance to meet more of her kind and I have to make sure none of those pesky vampires lay a hand on my future wife,” Shinra explained.

Shizuo wasn’t sure why Izaya had agreed to meet that guy again, but he trusted that the flea knew what he was doing. He probably already had some kind of nefarious scheme planned.  
“I’m going too then,” Shizuo decided. Shinra looked concerned.  
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Your body is still healing quite slowly and you need to rest. I can’t guarantee your body will hold up if you decide to use your strength,” Shinra warned.  
“So I won’t do anything too strenuous. Besides, I need to make sure Izaya doesn’t do anything sketchy. That other servamp bastard was just as devious as Izaya. I don’t trust those two together,” Shizuo insisted. Izaya was slowly becoming a better person lately and he’d be damned if he let that Lawless bastard’s influence drag him back to his devious ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Izaya huffed in annoyance, pulling Shizuo onto his back in a loose approximation of a piggy back. It looked awkward since Shizuo was far taller than Izaya and totally limp, but the vampire managed to gain a stable grip on the human."  
> My beta wanted me to tell you guys that she'll write a one-shot for anyone who draws this xD
> 
> Update: So someone actually drew it! I'm so shocked and pleased! :D  
> Here's the picture guys, marvel at it's beauty https://i.imgur.com/SFWj8Y1.jpg
> 
> My beta says she's still up for doing one-shots if anyone else wants to draw fanart for this fic. It can be any scene you want this time guys, it doesn't have to be that piggy back one xD


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late, I'm sorry. I want to use work as an excuse because honestly my hours have doubled ever since Uni holidays started but the real reason I'm late is because South Park: The Fractured But Whole came out and Creek has been the only thing on my mind for weeks ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> I just couldn't get into a Shizaya mood because of them and was honestly considering writing a Creek fic to get them out of my system (still am tbh) but I managed to renew my love for Shizaya by making this chapter completely Shizaya-centric. Enjoy! xD

When Izaya stirred to consciousness, the first thing he noticed was how warm the blanket was beneath him. He snuggled further into the warmth, content to drift back to sleep, until his mind recalled last night’s events. _Shizuo._ Izaya snapped upright, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as he frantically searched the room for the blonde. He didn’t have to look far as he quickly realised why the blanket had been so warm. Shizuo was asleep underneath said blanket, his skin less pale than it was earlier and his heartbeat thumping steadily in his chest. Izaya slumped in relief, resting his forehead against Shizuo’s chest. So the beast was okay. Izaya had taken Shizuo’s indestructibility for granted. He’d never once considered it failing. He hadn’t known what to do. He’d felt entirely useless and couldn’t do anything but watch as Shinra attempted to save Shizuo’s life. He’d gone as far as offering his own blood when Shinra announced that Shizuo needed a blood transfusion. He’d known they were the same blood type, after all. But, of course, Shinra had refused. His blood was tainted now. There was no telling what Izaya’s vampiric blood would do to Shizuo’s system. Thankfully, Shinra had spare blood bags in his underground surgery. How he’d acquired them, Izaya didn’t ask.

Izaya lifted his head, resting his chin on Shizuo’s chest as he studied the blonde’s face. Shizuo looked much calmer while sleeping. There was no furrow of a frown on his brow, no scowl tugging at his lips. Izaya thought Shizuo suited those expressions, but supposed this peaceful look had its own charm. Izaya shook those thoughts from his mind. What was he even doing here? He could’ve sworn he’d been sitting in the chair beside the bed last he remembered. Yet somehow he found himself curled atop the blonde, chest to toe. He couldn’t have moved here in his sleep, could he? Sure offering to be sex friends was one thing, but cuddling was a level of clinginess Izaya refused to indulge in. He had to move before the blonde woke up. But, of course, life couldn’t be so easy. Shizuo picked that exact moment to blink awareness at him.  
“Izaya?” he croaked, his voice thick with grogginess.

Fine. New plan, Izaya decided. He could work with this. Izaya smirked up at the blonde playfully as if he wasn’t mortified beyond belief.  
“Morning Shizu-chan~” Izaya cooed, “Did you have a good sleep?”  
Shizuo was quiet for a few moments as he took in their position. Izaya determinedly held his smirk, refusing to move until the brute did. Shizuo’s face flushed but he made no move to shove Izaya away like he’d expected. Stupid unpredictable protozoan.  
“I think I overslept actually. Shinra insisted I needed to rest more but I’ve been asleep all day. I feel like shit. What time is it anyway?” Shizuo complained, running a hand through his already-wild bedhead. Izaya suddenly had the urge to run his own fingers through the messy locks, but pushed away the thought determinedly. Instead he reached into his coat pocket to check one of his phones.  
“It’s a little past 6pm,” he told him, surprised by the late hour himself. Izaya couldn’t remember what time he’d fallen asleep but he must’ve slept for eight hours at least. It was rare that Izaya got a full night’s rest considering he had a habit of waking up throughout the night. It was odd that he’d managed to sleep for so long.

Izaya rested his cheek against Shizuo’s chest again, tempted to try for a few more hours. The beast was pretty comfortable and Izaya enjoyed the warmth he provided. His embarrassment for being caught like this gradually lessened. It didn’t mean anything, of course, Izaya was just using the brute for warmth. It’s not like being close like this brought him any comfort.  
“We – uh – should probably get up. I’m sure Shinra wants his bed back,” Shizuo murmured awkwardly. Izaya peeked up to find Shizuo avoiding his gaze. Now that’s the reaction Izaya wanted. He wasn’t allowed to be the only one affected by their proximity. But seeing Shizuo’s reaction made Izaya want to tease him some more. Izaya scooted up slightly so that his face was level with Shizuo’s, making sure to avoid leaning on Shizuo’s wounded shoulder.  
“Awww but I can think of so many more _interesting_ things we could do instead,” Izaya purred suggestively. He gave into his previous urge and buried his hands into Shizuo’s hair, pulling his face closer but not quite closing the distance between them.

Shizuo’s breath caught in his throat and he stared at Izaya’s lips longingly for a few tense moments. Izaya was sure the blonde was going to kiss him, but disappointingly Shizuo shook his head.  
“Careful Shizu-chan, this is the second time you’ve refused my offer. If you keep rejecting me like this it’s going to hurt my ego,” Izaya pouted.  
“I’m not having sex with you in Shinra’s bed,” Shizuo said firmly, but still didn’t push Izaya away.  
“My, my~ Who said anything about sex, Shizu-chan? How presumptuous of you!” Izaya chuckled.  
“Shut up, bastard. Don’t act all innocent. I know what you _meant_ ,” Shizuo hissed. Honestly, Izaya just wanted to tease Shizuo a little. He hadn’t really thought the offer through. Sure he wanted to mess around with Shizuo again, but he had no plans of losing his virginity in Shinra’s bed either. Izaya still wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. His sexual experience was just as lacking as Shizuo’s and he wanted to be fully prepared beforehand, both emotionally and physically. Shizuo was injured anyway. It wouldn’t be any fun if the beast’s strength wasn’t at its full potential.

“Now that’s just rude, Shizu-chan. We’re not all beasts driven by our desires. Some of us have some self-restraint. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some harmless, fully-clothed fun, ne?” Izaya teased, leaning fractionally closer so his breath ghosted over Shizuo’s lips as he spoke. Shizuo growled in response and Izaya felt the angry sound rumble against his chest pleasantly. Nothing satisfied him more than seeing that furious gaze aimed at him. Shizuo glared at him with an intensity that suggested Izaya was the only person in the world. It was this undivided attention that Izaya relished in. He’d been ignored and overlooked so often throughout his life that when Izaya had first felt the weight of that gaze he’d been hooked. He would make sure he remained the centre of Shizuo’s attention. Even if it meant being hated. All the better, in fact.

The suspense was killing Izaya and he almost kissed the brute himself. But that would mean losing the game. No, Shizu-chan would be the one who cracked first. Finally Shizuo’s resolve snapped and he roughly grabbed Izaya’s coat collar, pulling him down the last inch to crush their lips together harshly. Izaya smiled into the kiss victoriously before kissing back with just as much ferocity. This was the kind of kiss Izaya’d been expecting from the beast all along, one filled with anger and lust. The gentle and unsure kisses had been nice, but this was what Izaya truly craved. It was the same thrill that filled him during their chases, a mixture of adrenaline and anticipation. He’d often wondered what would happen if Shizuo ever caught him. Mostly he’d believed the brute would be true to his word and kill him, which was why he’d never allowed himself to get caught. But there was a part of him that wondered if maybe something like this might occur. He’d never let himself indulge in those fantasies for long, but now it was real. The beast was going to devour him and Izaya was thrilled.

********

Shizuo wasn’t sure if he was pissed off or horny. Both, he decided as he clenched his hands in the fur lining of that infuriating coat. He was tempted to rip the thing to pieces while he had the chance. But Izaya would be furious and, although Shizuo would enjoy seeing the look on the bastard’s face, Izaya would most likely stop kissing him if he did so. The informant tugged at his hair almost painfully, as he explored Shizuo’s mouth with his tongue. Occasionally he would bite at Shizuo’s bottom lip, almost breaking the skin. The kiss was vicious and Shizuo half-expected to feel the sharp edge of a knife against his torso at any moment. But Izaya’s fingers remained safely buried in his hair, blunt nails lightly scratching at his scalp.

Shizuo released his grip on the coat to wrap his arms around Izaya’s waist, pulling him closer. The informant’s skin was cold against his fingertips as they slipped under the back of Izaya’s shirt. Izaya shuddered, either at the sudden heat or at the sensation of Shizuo’s fingers trailing against his skin. Shizuo didn’t care which it was, the reaction pleased him and he dipped his hands under the shirt to find more skin. Izaya made an encouraging sound in the back of his throat and ground his hips against Shizuo’s. Shizuo was grateful for the blanket that separated them. His hospital gown was far too thin and he had enough trouble restraining himself when Izaya was concerned. As his hands explored the expanse of Izaya’s back, Shizuo couldn’t help but notice how prominent Izaya’s bones were against his fingers. He lightly traced every bump of Izaya’s ribs and spine with his fingers, extremely aware of how fragile Izaya felt in his hands.

Shizuo frowned, pulling apart from their kiss. Izaya started to make a whining noise in complaint that must’ve been unintentional because he cut it off midway. He looked slightly embarrassed before forcing his face back to neutrality. Shizuo would’ve smirked at the reaction if he wasn’t so rattled.  
“You’re too damn skinny,” Shizuo insisted, reinforcing his statement by wrapping his hands around Izaya’s rib cage. His waist was so thin that Shizuo’s fingers almost touched. This bothered Shizuo for some reason and he couldn’t help adding, “You need to eat more.”  
“Is that an offer, Shizu-chan?” Izaya chuckled, gesturing to Shizuo’s neck meaningfully. Shizuo flushed, realising his mistake. He’d forgotten about Izaya’s new diet when he’d made the remark. But it’s not like he was against the idea. The vampire _had_ seemed pretty hungry earlier, Shizuo thought, remembering Izaya’s cute reaction to his bloody coat with amusement.  
“Sure,” Shizuo replied easily, tilting his neck in accommodation.

“What?” Izaya gaped at him, his smirk faltering. Shizuo didn’t get why he was so surprised. Izaya had been the one to suggest it in the first place. But he seemed taken aback by Shizuo’s response, a frown settling upon his brow.  
“I don’t mind,” Shizuo assured him, “Go ahead.”  
Izaya flinched away from him, sitting up to straddle Shizuo’s waist.  
“You can’t be serious, Shizu-chan _._ You were _bleeding out_ a few hours ago,” Izaya reminded him.  
“So? I feel fine now and you haven’t eaten in a while. Aren’t you hungry?” Shizuo argued. Izaya stared at him in disbelief, his eyes flickering to Shizuo’s pulse with a pained expression before wrenching his eyes away. Izaya chewed at his bottom lip in an anxious way that Shizuo had never seen from the usually-composed informant before.  
“Don’t be ridiculous, Shizu-chan. Shinra would kill me if I drank the blood he so generously supplied you,” Izaya attempted to joke but he refused to look at Shizuo. Shizuo watched Izaya’s Adam’s apple bob as the vampire swallowed. It was clear Izaya was fighting the urge to give in to Shizuo’s offer. Shizuo couldn’t understand why Izaya didn’t just agree. Yeah he still felt a bit fatigued and his shoulder was beginning to ache again. But it’s not like losing a little blood would cause too much damage.

Why did Izaya care anyway? It’s not like the informant worried about his wellbeing. It didn’t make sense that Izaya would be so against the idea, despite clearly wanting to. Shizuo rolled his eyes.  
“I wouldn’t be hurt if you hadn’t run off in the first place,” Shizuo teased. Izaya’s head whipped towards him and Shizuo instantly regretted the comment when he saw the hurt look on Izaya’s face. Izaya quickly schooled his expression into a sharp scowl.  
“I didn’t ask you to follow me, _beast_. This is _not_ my fault,” Izaya hissed, pushing his palms against Shizuo’s chest as he leaned into his face angrily. There was fury in his eyes but Shizuo detected a hint of guilt behind his gaze. Shizuo wanted to tell him that he didn’t blame Izaya for his injuries at all. It was his choice to go along with the fight, even if it had been Izaya’s idea. But before he could say anything, the informant was storming out of the room. Shizuo sighed heavily as he stared at the empty doorway. Dammit, why did he always say the wrong thing? They’d probably still be making out right now if he’d just kept his mouth shut, Shizuo thought bitterly.

********

Izaya slumped onto Shinra’s couch with a frustrated sigh. It didn’t look like the doctor or his beloved monster was home, meaning he couldn’t just leave in case Shizuo’s recovery suddenly took a turn. Shizuo didn’t come after him and for that Izaya was grateful. That stupid brute, how dare he blame Izaya for this mess? Izaya never asked for his help. How could he have known that Shizuo would get hurt so badly? It was the protozoan’s own fault for being reckless. Izaya had saved the idiot’s life, worrying over his bedside like a damn nurse and what thanks does he get? Izaya didn’t even know why he cared. He hated the damn beast.  
“Why is it so hard to admit that you care about him?” the demon’s voice piped up in his mind. Izaya found himself sitting in his office chair, sun streaming through his giant windows. The demon sat on his desk beside his computer monitor, the fur lining of the miniature coat around its shoulders back to the usual light brown. It smirked up at Izaya as if waiting for a response.

“I don’t care about that protozoan. He can drop dead for all I care,” Izaya grumbled, turning to stare out the window in the hopes that it would brighten his foul mood. But even watching his beloved humans wouldn’t cheer him up.  
“Then why’d you save his life? Why not let him die?” the demon asked. Izaya turned back to glare.  
“I need his blood to survive. Everyone else tastes disgusting,” Izaya claimed.  
“Then why not drink from him when he offered?” the demon pointed out smugly.  
“I’m not hungry,” Izaya insisted.  
“You’re starving,” the demon huffed with an eye roll.  
“I am not. I’ve gone longer without eating. I’m _fine_ ,” Izaya maintained.  
“We both know the _real_ reason you don’t want to drink his blood. You witnessed him almost die from blood loss and now you’re scared it’ll happen again,” the demon told him.

“Go away. I want to be alone,” Izaya growled, ignoring the demon’s accusations.  
“You are alone.” The demon reminded him, “I’m a part of you.”  
“No you’re not. You’re just a parasite Shinra’s father put inside my brain,” Izaya hissed.  
“That’s a bit rude, ne? Don’t lash out at me just because you’ve had a lover’s quarrel,” the demon huffed.  
“We’re not lovers, we’re _enemies_. I hate that monster and he hates me,” Izaya insisted.  
“You say that an awful lot, you know? Almost like you need convincing,” the demon hummed.  
Izaya scowled. “Shut up! Just go away. I’m sick of your meddling. I don’t appreciate you putting idiotic thoughts into my head.”  
“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t make you think anything you don’t already know. I’m a part of your subconscious,” the demon argued.

“Then how do you explain my reaction to Shizuo getting attacked earlier?” Izaya demanded.  
“That wasn’t my doing. Your primal instincts kicked in and you reacted on your own. You weren’t thinking clearly, so I just stepped in to tell you what you needed to hear. Your voice of reason, if you will,” the demon shrugged.  
“Reason? I would have killed Lawless,” Izaya snapped.    
“So? You wanted to. He hurt your Shizu-chan. He needed to be punished,” the demon insisted.  
“Shizu-chan isn’t mine,” Izaya spat bitterly.  
“He _could_ be. But you’re too scared to love. Your fragile heart can’t take it,” the demon accused. Izaya flinched but forced himself to laugh.  
“Hah! I’m Izaya Orihara! I love all humans. I’m not scared to love,” Izaya whirled around in his chair, spreading out his arms widely as he cackled madly. The demon didn’t look impressed.  
“Your ‘love’ for humans is a safety net. You say you love them all so that you never have to love anyone individually. You’re afraid you’ll get hurt if you do. So you distance yourself from them. Act like you’re a god and claim to love them all equally,” the demon said calmly. Izaya glared at the demon but said nothing. He didn’t have to hear this rubbish. He just wanted to be left alone.

“But Shizu-chan’s always been special, ne? You knew it from the moment you first saw him. The way your heart leapt in your chest when he picked up that soccer goal like it weighed nothing. He fascinated you in a way your precious humans never had. That’s why you could never bear to call him human. Couldn’t pretend your feelings for him were the same as your ‘love’ for humanity. You convinced yourself you hated him because the alternative was too terrifying. But you couldn’t leave him alone. You went out of your way to terrorise him, sought him out because you couldn’t bear the thought of him forgetting about you. You needed him to hate you because at least then he’d still be thinking of you,” the demon continued. Izaya clenched his eyes closed and covered his ears, despite knowing he looked like a petulant child in doing so. He didn’t want to hear any of this. It made his chest ache and he felt a lump forming in the back of his throat.  
“Shut up, shut up, shut up! Why won’t you just leave me alone?” Izaya cried.

********

It wasn’t long after Izaya stormed out that Shizuo decided it was time to get out of bed. The pain in his shoulder was becoming hard to ignore and his stomach also growled at him desperately. He pulled on a spare pair of clothes that Shinra had left for him. They were a bit small but they were better than a hospital gown. When he stepped out of the bedroom he didn’t expect to see Izaya sitting on the couch, assuming the vampire had run off again. Izaya had always been the type to run from his problems, unlike Shizuo who preferred to face them head on. Izaya didn’t look up as Shizuo entered the room, staring off into space blankly. He briefly wondered what the informant was thinking about so intensely, but decided it wasn’t any of his business. Izaya was always scheming. Shizuo didn’t want to get involved in anything shady.

It didn’t look like Shinra and Celty were home but Shizuo was too hungry to wait for them to return. He decided they likely wouldn’t mind if he helped himself to their kitchen. After a quick sweep of the kitchen, Shizuo decided to make Tamago Gohan. It was a simple dish and he wasn’t the best cook at full health. His shoulder protested every time he used his left arm, but Shizuo ignored it. He’d had worse in the past. Although ever since middle school his wounds had stopped hurting fairly quickly. It’d been a while since a wound had taken this long to heal. He made a mental note to ask Shinra for some pain pills when the doctor returned.

Shizuo was in the middle of pouring rice into the rice cooker when he heard Izaya shift on the couch. He glanced over curiously to see the informant hunched in on himself, clutching at his head with his eyes clenched tightly shut. He frowned, placing the bag of rice on the counter to move towards the couch. Izaya didn’t acknowledge his approach, his face looked pained but he didn’t make a sound.  
“Oi Izaya, you okay?” Shizuo asked warily. Izaya didn’t seem to hear him, so he crouched in front of the couch so that he was at eye level with the informant. He gently placed his hands over the informant’s, hoping to pry Izaya’s tight grip away from his hair. Izaya startled at the touch, his eyes snapping open to reveal the making of tears in his eyes. Shizuo’s hand moved before he could think the action through, wiping the moisture away from one of Izaya’s eyes with his thumb. Izaya flinched away from him, pushing Shizuo away with wide-eyed terror.  
“Don’t touch me,” Izaya hissed, blinking away the rest of the almost-tears furiously.

Shizuo was initially hurt by Izaya’s cold attitude but remembered that they’d parted on bad terms. He couldn’t even muster the effort to pretend he cared about whatever stupid thing they’d fought about, he was too worried about Izaya’s odd behaviour.  
“What’s wrong? You looked like you were in pain?” Shizuo prodded.  
Izaya refused to look at him, still seeming rattled by whatever he’d experienced.  
“Nothing. Leave me alone, Shizu-chan. You’re the last person I want to see right now,” Izaya huffed. Shizuo got the impression that Izaya had meant to say it harsher, but the words came out tired.  
“No. I’m not just going to pretend nothing’s wrong. Tell me what’s going on,” Shizuo said firmly.  
“I said nothing’s wrong, you stupid beast! Stop pretending like you care!” Izaya snapped, turning to glare at Shizuo icily. Usually Shizuo was filled with anger when someone yelled at him like that, but all he felt was concerned.  
“I _do_ care, you shitty flea,” Shizuo told him but the words only seemed to bring fear into Izaya’s gaze.

Izaya wasn’t going to talk, Shizuo knew that. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try to help. Shizuo sighed, calmly rising to his feet and heading towards the kitchen.  
“Do you eat Tamago Gohan?” Shizuo asked. Izaya looked confused by the sudden change of topic.  
“I don’t _eat_ anything, Shizu-chan,” Izaya reminded him.  
“ _Did_ you eat Tamago Gohan then?” Shizuo rephrased the question.  
“I usually ate food of a higher standard, but I suppose I enjoyed it when I was younger,” Izaya shrugged. He still wouldn’t look at Shizuo.  
“Good enough,” Shizuo stated, returning to his preparation.

Izaya was quiet for a long time, appearing lost in his thoughts, while Shizuo worked. Shizuo couldn’t help glancing at him often, watching the brunet’s face for any indication of what he was feeling but the informant’s thoughts remained a mystery. Izaya was tense as he sat on the couch, clearly still disturbed by whatever had happened to him. Shizuo worried that he was suffering more side effects from his transformation and decided he would interrogate Lawless when he saw him again tonight. The awkward atmosphere between them gradually shifted to a comfortable silence as Izaya seemed to pull himself together. He finally managed to turn his eyes towards Shizuo and the blonde hastily averted his gaze, embarrassed at being caught staring. Shizuo rushed to finish the food, cracking the eggs over each bowl. He grabbed one of Shinra’s sharper knives and paused, suddenly feeling self-conscious because he knew Izaya was watching. He brushed off the feeling, knowing that Izaya needed this whether he liked it or not. He heard Izaya’s sharp intake of breath as he sliced the knife over his finger and let the blood seep into Izaya’s food.

He kept his eyes trained down at their food as he brought it over to the couch, placing the red tinted bowl of food in front of the vampire.  
“You didn’t have to do this. I told you I’m fine,” Izaya grumbled, but picked up his chopsticks eagerly and began mixing the raw egg and blood through the rice.  
“Just shut up and eat, Flea,” Shizuo told him. Izaya immediately began shovelling food in his mouth and Shizuo cursed himself for letting the nickname slip.  
“Stop, Flea,” he quickly amended before Izaya could choke. Izaya roughly swallowed the food in his mouth but instead of berating him like Shizuo expected, Izaya started to laugh.  
“I know your cooking’s terrible, Shizu-chan, but you don’t have to force me to eat it,” he teased.  
“Shut up,” Shizuo flushed, “Just, uh, eat at your own pace, Flea. Is that right? Did I fix it?”  
A gentle smile teased at Izaya’s lips and he looked down at the food fondly before he softly said, “Thank you, Shizu-chan.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapters guys. Sorry it took a while, I went on a trip to Tokyo! I stayed in Shinjuku, visited Ikebukuro, bought a ton of Shizaya doujins from Akihabara, actually stood under the LOVE statue that Izaya got slammed into and a bunch of other non-Durarara related stuff xD  
> But now I'm back and super hyped to write more Shizaya fanfiction :D

Celty and Shinra returned home a few minutes past 10. Shinra’d had several house-calls that night and they were much too far away for him to walk. Celty had been wary about leaving Shizuo and Izaya alone in the apartment together, even if they _were_ sleeping at the time, but Shinra had assured her the animosity between them had been remarkably low. She hadn’t really believed him at the time, but she couldn’t deny it as she walked into her apartment to find the two men sitting peacefully together on her couch. The pair quietly watched the TV, leaning against one another comfortably like old friends and not the lifelong enemies they really were. Two empty bowls sat upon the coffee table in front of them, one stained with a red residue that she quickly realised was blood. There was no sign of damage to the apartment and, other than a small Band-Aid haphazardly wrapped around Shizuo’s right index finger, neither of them showed any new signs of injury. The scene was so bizarre she couldn’t help but stand frozen in the doorway and stare.

Shinra stopped beside her, a similarly perplexed expression on his face. It took him a lot less time to recover though, as he marched into the living room with a wide grin across his face.  
“We’re back! Well isn’t this nice? Who would’ve thought you guys could look so cosy? I knew you could be friends if you tried,” Shinra cried, leaning over the back of the couch to sling his arms over their shoulders and earning a scowl from both men.  
“Don’t try to take credit for anything Shinra. Our truce is merely one of convenience. Calling it friendship is a bit of a stretch,” Izaya huffed, shrugging off Shinra’s embrace and scooting deliberately away from the blonde. Shizuo rolled his eyes but didn’t comment, instead rising from the couch to greet Celty with a warm smile.  
“Welcome back Celty, it’s good to see you. I borrowed some of your food, I hope you don’t mind. I’ll pay you back if you want,” Shizuo informed her as he cleared away their plates hastily. Shizuo’s warm greeting thawed her from her shocked stupor and she rushed to follow him to the sink.  
[No, no, don’t be silly. You’re our guest. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up. How are you feeling? Should you be walking? Shinra said your wounds were really bad this time. I was so worried!] She typed the message frantically, knowing she was rambling but too concerned about her friend to care.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. It hurts a little but nothing I haven’t experienced before. I’ll be healed before you know it,” Shizuo reassured her as he rinsed out the plates.  
[Let me do that. You’re the guest, you should be resting!] Celty hastily typed, snatching the plates from Shizuo’s hands. He looked like he wanted to protest but decided against it with a sigh.  
“I appreciate your concern, Celty. But I’m honestly fine.” Celty’s skepticism must’ve shown in her body language because Shizuo added, “If it helps I swear not to do anything reckless tonight. I won’t throw anything, even if Izaya or that Lawless asshole pisses me off. I promise.”  
Celty didn’t even get a chance to reply because Izaya’s voice suddenly interrupted them.  
“Excuse me? You’re not going _anywhere_ , Shizu-chan. The last time you saw Lawless he almost killed you. You aren’t getting anywhere near that bastard,” Izaya hissed. Shinra gaped at Izaya, having settled into Shizuo’s place on the couch while Celty was distracted.

“Are you actually _worried_? About _Shizuo_?” Shinra gasped. Izaya scowled.  
“Don’t be ridiculous! I’m just worried about _myself_. I’ll have to find a new blood-source if Shizu-chan gets himself killed,” Izaya insisted, crossing his arms stubbornly.  
“I don’t care what you say. _I’m going_. I don’t want you alone with that bastard either,” Shizuo growled. The two glared at each other firmly, which was at least a familiar sight. It seemed the world hadn’t gone totally mad. That’s a relief, Celty thought.  
“I can protect myself, Shizu-chan,” Izaya reminded him.  
“Shut up, I know that already. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you face that bastard alone.”  
“What happened to behaving yourself, Shizu-chan? See, you can’t even control your temper for five minutes! This is exactly why you shouldn’t go. You’ll tear your stitches. You’re his doctor Shinra, tell him he can’t go,” Izaya huffed, turning to Shinra expectantly.  
Shinra held up his hands defensively, clearly not wanting to get in the middle of their quarrel.  
“What makes you think Shizuo will listen to me?” Shinra exclaimed.  
“I _won’t_.”  
“See!” Shinra cried and Izaya scowled.

“You don’t even have proper clothes, Shizu-chan. What, do you plan on going in those ridiculous pyjamas? They don’t even fit you properly,” Izaya pointed out. Shizuo looked down, as if only just noticing his outfit.  
“Fuck. I forgot,” he grumbled in frustration before shrugging roughly, “Whatever, I don’t care. I’ll just go like this.”  
[Actually, I have an idea.]  
Celty placed a hand upon Shizuo’s shoulder, her shadows gliding from her fingertips to travel across his clothing. The smoke-like shadows soon covered him from the neck down, morphing and changing shape to form a dark black suit similar to his usual bartending outfit.  
[There, now you won’t be in your pyjamas and my shadows will protect your body from harm.]  
“No fair, I want to be covered in my darling Celty’s shadows too!” Shinra whined and Celty used one of her shadows to shove him off the couch roughly. He hit the ground with an _oof_ but continued to grin up at her adoringly. Fool, Celty thought fondly.

Shizuo moved his arms and legs experimentally. He was clearly surprised by how non-constricting her shadows were.  
“How long does this last? Is this like a Cinderella thing?” Shizuo asked warily. Izaya snickered and Shizuo flashed him a scowl.  
[As long as I’m nearby it should last indefinitely. Once we separate though it’ll only last an hour or so.]  
“Nice. Thanks Celty! Well, any further complaints?” Shizuo smirked at Izaya in satisfaction.  
Izaya frowned deeply but sighed heavily in defeat.  
“I suppose it’ll do.”

********

Celty offered to drive them to Lawless’s hotel, surprising all of them by transforming shooter into a sleek black sedan. Izaya had known the horse could transform into a motorcycle and a carriage, but he hadn’t realised it could transform into anything else. The car had no license plate or headlights and the windows were tinted so dark that the inside of the car looked like the abyss. Izaya wasn’t sure how safe the car ride could be, especially considering Celty didn’t have a driver’s license, but he supposed since the car was sentient then Celty wasn’t actually the one driving. He spent the entire car ride scowling out the window. He ignored the blonde seated beside him in the backseat, refusing to acknowledge how attractive Shizuo looked dressed in all black. The suit fitted him far better than his usual bartender outfit too. But Izaya wasn’t about to let attraction overshadow his disapproval at Shizuo coming with them.

Didn’t the brute have any sense of self-preservation? Why couldn’t the idiot just follow instructions for once? Shinra’d said that Shizuo’s wound seemed to be healing at a normal human pace. The protozoan shouldn’t even be out of bed! Shizuo’s body wouldn’t be able to accommodate his usual reckless behaviour. If Shizuo let his temper get the best of him then Celty’s shadows wouldn’t stop him from destroying his own body. Izaya would have to make sure Lawless didn’t piss Shizuo off, which was a nigh impossible task considering Shizuo’s fragile temper. Izaya may be an expert at igniting Shizuo’s rage, but subduing it was another story. Izaya was grateful for Celty’s presence, at least. Perhaps the dullahan would have better luck at keeping the blonde calm.

They reached the hotel far sooner than Izaya expected and he supposed that speed was one of the perks of having a sentient vehicle. Celty was practically vibrating in anticipation by the time they stood outside Lawless’s door.  
“Don’t get too excited,” Shizuo warned her, “the guy’s a total dick.”  
“Now isn’t that a little harsh! I like to think I’m quite charming,” Lawless said, opening the door before any of them had the chance to knock.  
“You’re early,” he accused Izaya playfully, turning to study Shinra and Celty with a spark of intrigue in his eyes, “and you brought friends! My, my, a dullahan! How did you come to find such interesting company?”

He bowed extravagantly before introducing himself to the pair, “I’m sure you’ve already been informed, but I am the servamp of Greed. You may call me Lawless-chan.”  
Celty and Shinra introduced themselves in turn and Lawless shook Shinra’s hand firmly. He held out his hand to Celty who accepted the grip, clearly expecting another handshake, freezing in shock when Lawless bowed his head to kiss her knuckles instead.  
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady,” Lawless flashed her a grin. Izaya’s eyes immediately turned to Shinra expectantly, unsurprised to see a flash of outrage behind his friend’s spectacles. Shinra stepped in front of Celty, possessively pulling her hand from Lawless’s grip.  
“Actually,” Shinra piped up with a deceptively cheery voice that harboured a menacing undertone, “Celty is a taken woman, so you’ll have to find someone else to show your hospitality.”      
Lawless eyed the pair with an amused smirk, holding up his hands in surrender “Ah that’s a shame~ But who am I to get in the way of love?”  

He turned to Shizuo, looking him over curiously.  
“Why, aren’t you looking well! I’m quite surprised to see you on your feet so soon. Things looked fairly grim last I saw you, your rate of recovery is remarkable,” Lawless noted.  
“No thanks to you,” Shizuo grumbled, but his temper remained intact.  
“Now, now, there’s no need to hold grudges. All’s fair in love and war, after all~” Lawless insisted.  
Shizuo frowned, obviously not recognising or understanding the expression. Luckily before Izaya could worry about this fact enraging Shizuo, a voice called from inside the hotel room.  
“Stop dawdling in the doorway, shitty rat!”  
Lawless hurriedly stepped aside and gestured for them to come in.

The owner of the voice was a teenage boy with jet black hair that was interrupted by a thick streak of white on the left side of his head. He scowled at Lawless, even as the servamp grinned at him enthusiastically. There was something familiar about the boy and Izaya wracked his brain to figure out why.  
“This is Angel-chan, my super cool eve with a devastating personality!” Lawless announced, dancing around the boy and gesturing to him like he was displaying a work of art.  
“Shut up, you rotten hedgehog. I don’t need you to introduce me,” the boy growled, swinging a brutal kick in Lawless’s direction, which the vampire miraculously managed to dodge. His smile didn’t waver, despite the attack. Suddenly Izaya remembered where he knew the teenager from.    
“You’re Licht Jekylland Todoroki!” Izaya gasped. The boy didn’t seem surprised at being recognised.  
“Wait, you know this kid?” Shizuo asked suspiciously. Izaya ignored him.  
“Ich bin ein großer Fan Ihrer Musik. Warum sind Sie noch in Japan? Ich habe gedacht, dass Ihre Tour vor Monaten geendet hat.”  
(I am a big fan of your work. Why are you still in Japan? I thought your tour ended months ago.)” Izaya asked, the German language rolling easily off his tongue.  
“Ich habe entscheiden, ein bisschen länger hier zu bleiben. Ich mag es hier zu sein. (I decided to stay here a bit longer. I like being here.)” Licht replied with a disinterested shrug.  
“Wow, Sie sprechen Deutsch?” (Wow, you speak German?)” Lawless interrupted, sounding impressed.  
“Ich spreche viele Sprachen.” (I speak many languages.)” Izaya informed him proudly.

“Can you guys please speak fucking Japanese? I don’t understand what you’re saying and it pisses me off,” Shizuo growled in annoyance. “Who the hell is this kid anyway?”  
“Licht is a world-famous Austrian pianist! You should pay more respect, Shizu-chan,” Izaya insisted.  
“I don’t care how famous he is. I just want to know if he’s on our side or not,” Shizuo huffed.  
“Well that’s what we’re here to find out, now isn’t it?” Lawless pointed out, “Speaking of which, we should get going then. My brothers are waiting.”

********

The kid didn’t join them, seeming entirely disinterested in the whole situation. Lawless enthusiastically called farewell to his eve, only receiving a glare in return. Shizuo would’ve found their relationship odd if it didn’t remind him so much of his relationship with Izaya. Maybe animosity between servamps and their eves was normal, Shizuo considered. It was lucky the kid didn’t come anyway, considering there were only five seats in Celty’s horse-turned-car. Lawless took the passenger seat in order to give directions, much to Shinra’s dismay as he was forced to sit in the back with Shizuo and Izaya. Lawless led them to a huge mansion with large glass windows and a fancy metal gate with sharp pointed spikes. Shizuo felt the familiar stirrings of annoyance as he took in the oversized building. Were all these bastards rich or something?

“This is the home of Mikado Arisuin, the president of Arisuin Industries. It’s currently one of the wealthiest corporations in Japan,” Izaya spoke as they all exited the car.  
“My, my, you sure do know a lot~” Lawless praised him.    
“It’s my career, after all.” Izaya smirked in satisfaction. The gate opened at their approach, despite there being no sign of a guard to do so. Izaya settled into step beside the other servamp, the pair leading the way through the mansion’s grounds.  
“So what brings us to the house of a millionaire? Don’t tell me he’s an eve too?” Izaya asked.  
“Close, but it’s his sons actually,” Lawless corrected.  
“Sons? Meaning more than one are eves? My, my, what an interesting family~” Izaya mused, looking at the house in intrigue.

Lawless and Izaya chatted animatedly as the group made their way towards a smaller, but no less outrageously large, building to the west. The pair seemed to get along too well and Shizuo tried not to let his discomfort on the matter show. Lawless acted far too similar to the flea when he was up to no good and Shizuo dreaded what negative influence the servamp could have on Izaya’s behaviour. Of course, Shizuo was under no delusion that Izaya had changed. But he _had_ improved somewhat and Shizuo didn’t want to see that progress lost.  

Lawless knocked firmly on the door of the west building and the door opened to reveal a pair of young twin girls holding hands. They both had pink hair adorned with red ribbon, having long hair and short hair respectively. They wore slightly different frilly white dresses with matching pink collars. Their red eyes glowed in the same fashion as Izaya’s did and Shizuo realised that they must be vampires.  
“Welcome. ‘All of Love’ is waiting for you,” the twins spoke simultaneously in monotone voices. There was something extremely disturbing about seeing children as vampires that made Shizuo’s skin crawl. The gaze behind their eyes was far too intelligent for their apparent age and Shizuo was torn between his usual fondness for children and an instinctive apprehension. The two girls stepped aside to reveal a huge room with checkered black and white tiles and extravagant-looking furniture. Sitting in the middle of the room in a large, black and white chair was a pale teenage boy with purple hair. He wore a formal-looking school uniform that was black and purple, the same shade as his hair. There was a large pink and black butterfly rested upon his shoulder.

“Which one of you is the so-called 9th servamp?” the boy demanded without introducing himself.  
“That would be me~ Izaya Orihara. May I ask who I’m addressing?” Izaya bowed gracefully.  
The boy’s eyes narrowed but he complied, “My name is Misono Arisuin. I am the eve of the 7th servamp, ‘All of Love.’” The butterfly on the boy’s shoulder fluttered into the air, suddenly transforming into a man with shoulder-length blonde hair in a pink and black suit. His shirt was completely unbuttoned to reveal his chest and an old fashioned pocket-watch dangling from a chain around his neck. The man flashed them a flirtatious smile, slipping his shirt down his shoulders and unbuckling his belt to reveal even more skin.  
“Pleasure to meet you! I am the servamp of Lust, ‘All of Love.’ My current name is Snow Lily, but you can just call me Lily,” Lily introduced himself, touching his lips with a coy look.

“How many times have I told you? Don’t strip in front of every new person you meet!” Misono demanded, slapping Lilly’s bare skin until the servamp hastily pulled his clothes back into place.  
Shizuo was starting to feel like maybe he and Izaya got along better than any of these servamp-eve pairings and that was an extremely bizarre thought.  
“But how am I supposed to make a good impression if I don’t display my best features?” Lily pouted.  
“Terribly sorry to interrupt, but I would like to know what business you have with me,” Izaya spoke up with an overly polite tone that dripped condescension to Shizuo.  
“Well isn’t that obvious! We need to decide whether you can be trusted or if you need to be exterminated immediately!” a male voice came from the ceiling. Everyone’s heads, barring Celty’s of course, snapped up towards the sound. The voice appeared to come from a small bat hanging upside down from an elaborate chandelier.

The bat left its perch, flapping down to join Misono and Lily’s side, transforming into a small child. The boy was dressed in a black suit with red coat tails, a black cape with red inside and a top hat that covered most of his short black hair. He also brandished a small cane and wore an old fashioned monocle on his face. He looked like a stereotypical vampire from the movies. The longer Shizuo looked at the kid, the more he realised it wasn’t a kid at all. It was an extremely short adult man. The small vampire considered Shizuo with an oddly curious look on his face and Shizuo narrowed his eyes in suspicion.    
“Who are you?” the man questioned him.  
“Wait, that’s not Tetsu?” Misono frowned in confusion, staring at Shizuo with the same look now.  
“No, it’s much too late for Tetsu to be out on a school night,” Old Child replied.  
“I’m Shizuo Heiwajima. Who the hell is Tetsu and who the fuck are you?” Shizuo growled.  
“I am the 2nd servamp, the servamp of Pride, ‘Old Child.’ Tetsu is my current eve. You two share a striking resemblance,” Old Child explained.

Suddenly there was a bat right up in Shizuo’s personal space, sniffing at his neck.  
“Ah yes! Your blood smells just as high quality as my dear Tetsu’s. Perhaps you are related?” Old Child suggested. Shizuo hadn’t heard of any Tetsu in his family, but then again a lot of Shizuo’s family members had broken off contact with his family when Shizuo was young after several of his tantrums. No matter how many times his parents had told him they didn’t mind, Shizuo still felt terrible about making their family the ‘black sheep’. Old Child continued to sniff him appreciatively until he was snatched out of the air by a firm hand. Izaya pulled the bat away from Shizuo’s neck, baring his teeth at the other servamp aggressively.  
“That blood isn’t yours,” Izaya growled possessively. Old child transformed back, dangling from Izaya’s grip by the collar of his cape.  
“Ah, so this is your eve then?” Old Child smirked, roughly dropping to his feet as Izaya let him go. Izaya grabbed Shizuo’s arm possessively, pulling him closer to his side and away from Old Child.  
“Yes, Shizu-chan is mi – _my_ eve,” Izaya said, for some reason stumbling over the words slightly.    
“I see. And who, may I ask, are they?” Old Child replied, pointing towards Shinra and Celty.

Celty jumped and smoke flared from her helmet anxiously as she hastily typed a reply.  
[My name is Celty Sturleson! I met your sister a very long time ago in Ireland. This is my partner, Shinra Kishitani. It’s a pleasure to meet you all!]  
“Is that so? It’s quite odd to see a Dullahan out of Ireland. What brings you to Japan? And what is your relationship to the accused?” Old Child asked.  
[I came here twenty years ago looking for my head. I’ve known Shinra since he was very young. Shizuo and Izaya are childhood friends of his.]  
“Looking for your head, you say? So your head was stolen? That’s quite awful, I am sorry for your loss and wish you the best in locating it,” Old Child told her, sounding sincere.    
[Thank you very much! I’ve actually grown quite used to life without it, so there’s no need for you to feel sorry for me. I’m just so pleased to be able to meet more of my kind. It’s been so long since I’ve seen any other supernatural beings.]

“While it truly is a joy to meet you, Celty, we have far more pressing matters to discuss,” Lawless interrupted them. His face was suddenly grave, all usual cheer missing from his expression.  
“Did any of you have any luck getting into contact with Nii-san or Mahiru?” he asked.  
“No. Mahiru hasn’t been answering any of my texts for over a month,” Misono told him.  
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Lawless demanded. Misono looked embarrassed.  
“I’ve never had a close friend before! I thought not talking for a while was normal,” Misono snapped defensively. Lily put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.  
“This isn’t Misono’s fault. None of us realised Kuro and Mahiru were gone until now, we’re all to blame,” Lily said calmly.  
“No, _he’s_ to blame,” Lawless pointed at Izaya accusingly, “What have you done with Nii-san?”  
“Now, now, I’ve already told you. I have nothing to do with what happened to your brother. I’m a victim in this too. It was Shinra’s father who kidnapped and experimented on me. I had no part in this,” Izaya said firmly, pointing to Shinra who quickly put up his hands defensively.

“Now wait, don’t go blaming me Izaya. You know I have nothing to do with my father’s experiments,” Shinra insisted, waving his hands frantically.  
“Look, it doesn’t matter who’s to blame for this. Shouldn’t you be trying to figure out where your brother is and how to save him?” Shizuo interrupted.  
“That’s unusually rational of you, Shizu-chan,” Izaya almost looked impressed, “He’s right. I can show you where the lab I escaped from is. It’s the most likely place they’d be holding your brother.”  
“Then let’s go already! Why are we still here?” Lawless hissed impatiently.  
“Wait. You can’t just rush in there without a plan. The facility is heavily guarded,” Izaya said.  
“So? They’re just humans!” Lawless huffed.  
“That may be so, but they are well-armed and apparently have the technology to keep a servamp hostage for over a month. The lab is working with C3 so it’s likely they have weapons designed to work against vampires,” Izaya explained.

“Wait, C3 is behind this? How do you know?” Lily asked, his face growing as grave as Lawless’s.  
“I did some digging into the lab after my escape. My research suggests a partnership between C3 and Nebula. I believe C3 hired Yagiri Pharmaceuticals to do experiments for them using vampires as test subjects. Clearly one of their goals was to create more servamps,” Izaya elaborated.  
“Why would they do that? C3 hates vampires, especially servamps!” Lawless frowned.  
“I can’t say for sure, but they’ve never been able to kill a servamp, right? They might be creating their own servamps in the hopes they can destroy the original servamps,” Izaya shrugged.  
“Then how can we trust you? You’re one of their experiments. You could’ve been sent to kill us,” Lawless accused. Shizuo was getting pretty sick of these accusations and was about to shout something along the lines of “Shut the fuck up, bastard!” but Izaya spoke first.  
“You can trust me because I’m going to help you get your brother back. _Then_ I’m going to make sure each and every one of them regrets ever messing with Izaya Orihara.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to H2OSorceress and ‘Some cosmetics from a native speaker’ for helping me with the German translations! :D


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this?? An update within a week? You're not dreaming guys, I was actually proactive and tried to get this chapter out on time. Hopefully I can keep this momentum going before Christmas xD

“I’ll perform reconnaissance on Yagiri Pharmaceuticals. We can meet here again tomorrow night to develop a strategy based on the information I’ve gathered. Once we have a suitable plan, we can infiltrate the lab the night after. Does that sound reasonable to everyone?” Izaya suggested. The other servamps exchanged careful glances as they considered his proposal. Izaya waited patiently for the vampires to come to a decision, his face uncharacteristically reserved without even a hint of his usual smirk. Finally, Lawless nodded determinedly.  
“I’m in. I don’t entirely trust you. But if it means saving Nii-san, then I’m willing to follow your lead on this,” Lawless declared. The other servamps reluctantly agreed, accepting that Izaya was their best chance at finding their brother.

They proceeded to discuss possible strategies, Celty particularly eager to help in any way she could. Misono, if Shizuo remembered the kid’s name correctly, started nodding off in his chair not long after. Lily briefly left the room to carry the dozing teen to bed. Shizuo didn’t bother joining, or even paying attention to, the conversation. His mind really wasn’t suited towards all that strategy stuff. If it were up to him they would’ve stormed the lab like Lawless suggested, simply relying on brute strength to get them through any complications they came across. But that wasn’t Izaya’s style at all. He liked to have the upper hand in all situations, preferring to know every single detail rather than facing a threat blind. Shizuo respected that part of him, even if it _was_ used for nefarious purposes most of the time. He often wondered how many people Izaya would help if he put his skills to good use. But he supposed good deeds wouldn’t pay as well as Izaya’s current profession, so there wasn’t much chance of him switching sides.

It didn’t take long for Shizuo to become bored with sitting around, so he decided to wander the maze-like hallways of the building instead. Shizuo felt kind of guilty snooping around a stranger’s house. He wasn’t the flea, after all. No one had stopped him when he left the room though, so he decided to take that as permission. They were probably too caught up in their planning to even notice him leaving, but Shizuo chose to ignore that. It wasn’t like he was going to do anything shady. He was mostly interested in admiring the expensive-looking paintings that lined the walls. He felt like he was in an art museum. He passed by several doors but refused to open them, knowing he really _would_ be as bad as the flea if he did so. That is, until he stumbled upon a large set of wooden doors. Light spilled out from under them, shadows flickering over the light occasionally to suggest movement. Maybe there was someone else in this bloody place he could talk to while he waited for Izaya to finish? Shizuo gently pushed the doors open, not at all prepared for the sight that greeted him.

Crudely-drawn flowers spotted the floor and a large set of messily-scrawled train tracks wound its way between them. Wonkily-drawn stars and clouds covered the walls. Small tables covered in cards and half-finished drawings were set about the room with toys scattered between them. But these things registered quickly in his mind, as suddenly he found himself confronted by several pairs of curious eyes. There were at least twenty kids in the room. They all looked younger than ten, but were likely much older if their pale skin and faintly glowing red eyes were anything to go by. Some of them slept, while others read books from a giant bookshelf towering beside the door and many drew pictures with colourful crayons.

“Who’s that?” he heard some of them whisper amongst themselves. He recognised the twins from the entrance. They stood up as soon as they noticed him, hastily putting themselves between him and the other children.  
“You shouldn’t be here,” they spoke simultaneously, hands still clasped together. Their clinginess towards one another reminded him of Izaya’s sisters.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just looking for something to do,” Shizuo rubbed the back of his neck nervously. The other children hadn’t stopped staring at him and he wasn’t sure they’d blinked since he arrived. He was pretty certain none of them were human.  
“Does ‘All of Love’ know you’re here?” they asked him. He had no idea how they were so in-sync but it was pretty damn disturbing. Shizuo couldn’t help looking guilty.  
“Not really. Is he gonna be mad if he finds out I’m here?” he asked, not really fearing the servamp’s wrath. He was far more worried about ruining Izaya’s fragile alliance.

The twins looked at one another for a long moment, as if having an internal conversation before finally turning back to him.  
“We won’t tell him if you play with us,” they replied, a hint of mischief glinting behind their red eyes. It reminded him of Izaya and that alone should’ve been reason enough to disagree.  
“Sure, what do you wanna play?” Shizuo found himself saying instead. They were still kids, after all. The other children in the room perked up at his approval, glancing at each other excitedly.  
“Hide and seek!” some suggested.  
“Duck, duck, goose!” others called.  
“Tag,” the majority of them shouted excitedly.  
“Tag, it is,” the twins agreed, “You’re it. You can give up at any time, but if you lose you have to read us a bedtime story.”  
“Sure,” Shizuo shrugged. How hard could it be catching a bunch of kids?

********

An hour before sunrise Izaya decided it was time they end their negotiations. They’d come up with a fairly solid strategy, but were still missing crucial details about the lab. Once he had access to his computer it wouldn’t take him long to find the information they needed. He turned to tell Shizuo that they would be heading to Izaya’s apartment instead, only to find the brute was gone. Where the hell had that idiot wandered off to? Izaya frowned. He told Celty and Shinra to leave without them, since his apartment wasn’t too far to walk. He headed down the hallway in search of the blonde. The other servamps glanced at him curiously but didn’t follow, of which he was grateful. He was confident he’d managed to ease himself into their good graces tonight, but he remained on guard around them. They were immortal beings who had a far better grasp of their powers than Izaya did. If they decided to turn against him, he was sure even Shizuo and himself combined wouldn’t be able to stop them.

After wandering aimlessly for a few minutes, Izaya heard the gravelly tone of Shizuo’s voice. It didn’t sound like Shizuo was yelling, his tone unusually calm, but Izaya couldn’t quite catch the words. He followed the sound down the winding hallways, his voice becoming clearer and clearer until Izaya found himself standing in front of a large set of wooden doors. Izaya was close enough now to understand him, but this only made him more confused. Was Shizuo… reading a children’s book? Izaya knew the brute was immature, but he didn’t think Shizuo was _this_ childish. He pushed the doors open roughly, ready to scold Shizuo for running off but the words caught in his throat. Shizuo was sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by young children. Most of them were sleeping, curled up in a circle around the blonde clutching pillows and stuffed animals. The twins from earlier sat in Shizuo’s lap, one on each knee, drooping drowsily against his chest as they fought to keep their eyes open. Shizuo glanced up at Izaya briefly before his eyes turned back to the page as he continued to recite the fairytale in a soothing voice.

Izaya stared at the scene with wide eyes. Shizu-chan wasn’t allowed to be this… _cute_ , dammit. Izaya watched in silence as the twins were lulled to sleep. Finally Shizuo stopped reading, closing the book gently and placing it on the carpet beside him. He stood up carefully, trying not to wake the twins as he carried them to a nearby bed and tucked them in. He then turned to Izaya, finally acknowledging him.  
"Shizu-chan, what the f–“ Izaya was cut off quickly as Shizuo rushed to cover a hand over his mouth. Shizuo held a finger to his lips, glaring at Izaya firmly as he dragged them from the room as quietly as he could manage. He softly closed the door behind them, letting out a sigh of relief once he did so.  
“Jesus, Flea, you almost woke them,” Shizuo growled, somehow managing to keep his voice below a whisper.  
“Woke them? What the hell is this? I leave you alone for five minutes and you adopt a room full of children,” Izaya hissed back, whispering as well despite himself.

“Shut up, it was way longer than five minutes. We’ve been here for _hours_ ,” Shizuo argued.  
“I’m sorry, Shizu-chan,” Izaya’s voice dripped sarcasm, “I wasn’t aware you needed constant attention. It’s a good thing you managed to find other children to occupy you.” Shizuo growled in response but Izaya cut him off before he could make a retort.  
“What are all those children doing here anyway?” Izaya mused, more to himself than to Shizuo.  
“They’re my subclasses,” Lily’s voice appeared and he whipped around to find the butterfly perched on a wall behind them. He must’ve been following him the whole time, Izaya realised apprehensively. Lily transformed back to his human form and smiled at them.  
“I often take in dying children, offering them an afterlife under my care,” Lily continued. “They are free to live an eternal childhood amongst other children like themselves. You met the twins earlier, Yurii and Marii. They were the first children I ever saved.”

“So every child in that room is a vampire? How do you feed them all?” Izaya asked curiously.  
“Oh we don’t let them kill anyone, if that’s what you’re thinking. Misono’s father has access to a blood bank that supplies us with blood regularly,” Lily explained. Izaya decided not to point out that this was still pretty ethically questionable, considering that blood was donated with the intention of saving lives. Who was he to judge, after all? He’d done far more ethically questionable things.  
“Wouldn’t the children grow out of such things? Or are they forever frozen with the mental capacity that they died with?” Izaya inquired.  
“Their intelligence does show progress. All my subclasses are home-schooled to the level of a high school graduate, several also choosing to further pursue certain fields of study to that of a college level. But their interest in childish things never fades. They wish to spend their afterlives acting like children and I give them that freedom,” Lily told them. Izaya hummed in thought.

“Can we just go home already? Where’s Celty and Shinra?” Shizuo huffed.  
“They’ve already gone home. I told them we’re walking to my apartment,” Izaya informed him.  
“What? I never agreed to that,” Shizuo complained.  
“I need my computer for research tomorrow and you have the rest of the week off from work. It makes the most sense to go back to my place,” Izaya explained slowly, as if talking to a child. Shizuo scowled but Izaya could tell he didn’t have a valid argument.  
“Stop pouting, Shizu-chan. How about I let you chase me back? Won’t that be fun, ne?” Izaya purred.  
But to Izaya’s surprise, Shizuo’s face paled at the suggestion.  
“ _No_. No more running. I can’t run any more tonight. I just spent the last five hours running after a bunch of vampire kids. My legs won’t take any more abuse,” Shizuo said vehemently.

Izaya couldn’t help his smirk from falling in disappointment and he quickly tried to play the slip of true emotion off as intentional.  
“How mean, Shizu-chan~ Who said you were allowed to chase anyone else? Am I not enough for you anymore?” Izaya pouted dramatically, turning away from Shizuo and crossing his arms across his chest. He tried his best to imitate a jilted lover. It seemed to work because Shizuo huffed exasperatedly, glancing at Lily in embarrassment.  
“Stop being a pest in front of strangers, bastard. They’re going to get the wrong idea,” Shizuo hissed, grabbing Izaya by the wrist and dragging them back the way they came.

********

They attracted a few curious glances on their way to Izaya’s apartment, but thankfully no one seemed to recognise them. Shizuo dreaded the rumours that would undoubtedly spread if word got out that they’d been seen, walking peacefully side by side, down the streets of Shinjuku at this hour. Luckily Shinjuku was far less familiar with Shizuo’s appearance and his black suit seemed to be enough to throw them off. Izaya was instantly recognisable, of course, but the inhabitants of Shinjuku seemed to know better than to attract the informant’s attention. The vampire was unusually quiet as they walked, probably still thinking over strategies for Saturday night, Shizuo guessed. He was grateful for the silence, his patience worn thin from exhaustion. His legs still ached from chasing those kids and his body craved sleep. The flea’s sleep schedule may be fucked, but Shizuo typically had a fairly regular sleep pattern. He wasn’t used to the late nights he’d been forced to endure lately.

Shizuo pulled out a cigarette, lighting the tip and breathing in the smoke gratefully, in the hopes that it would relax him in lieu of sleep. He managed to go through three cigarettes in the time it took them to reach Izaya’s apartment building. Izaya approached the building, reaching for his keycard and scanning it against the door’s sensor instinctively. The light turned green and the glass doors parted automatically. Izaya didn’t hesitate, walking through the doors without so much as glancing back at Shizuo, who had paused in the doorway. He glanced at the half-finished cigarette in his hand. He got the feeling Izaya wouldn’t appreciate it if he smoked in his apartment. Without too much thought, he threw what remained of the cigarette on the pavement and extinguished the glowing embers under his shoe. He wasn’t sure why he suddenly cared about what the flea thought, but told himself it was because he was too tired to start an argument.  

Izaya was already inside the elevator by the time Shizuo caught up to him. The informant didn’t ask why he’d stopped, apparently still lost in his own thoughts. Shizuo’s shoulder brushed against the fur-lining of Izaya’s hood as he stepped inside and he wondered if the elevator had always been so small. As the doors closed, he couldn’t help feeling overly conscious of the brunet beside him. Soon the silence began to weigh on him and he felt the need to break it.  
“So that went pretty well,” Shizuo commented with forced nonchalance. Izaya’s head shifted slightly to peak at Shizuo from the corner of his eye.  
The informant scoffed lightly. “Well we’re still alive, so I’d say that’s a good sign.”  
Shizuo chuckled back. “Like I would’ve let them kill you. That’s my job.”  
Izaya’s lips twitched into a smirk, but it was softer than usual. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”    
This exchange made something in Shizuo’s chest flutter but he did his best to ignore it. Izaya turned his head back to stare at the elevator doors, but the gentle smirk remained. Shizuo did the same, fighting back a smile of his own as they settled into a comfortable silence.

The moment was broken, however, as Celty’s shadows suddenly dissipated in a cloud of black smoke and Shizuo was left standing in the too-small pyjamas underneath. Izaya broke into laughter, clutching at his sides and leaning back against the wall of the elevator.  
“I forgot how ridiculous you looked in Shinra’s clothes,” Izaya gasped between cackles.  
Shizuo’s face flushed in embarrassment and he tugged self-consciously at the tight clothing. “Shut up, bastard. It’s not that funny.”  
Hearing Izaya laugh, really laugh not that condescending chuckle he usually did, was kind of nice. But Shizuo did his best to glare at him until Izaya managed to compose himself. The doors of the elevator finally opened and the pair stepped out. But to Shizuo’s surprise, Izaya stopped to peel off his coat and held it out to the blonde. Shizuo just stared at Izaya’s outstretched arm in confusion. When Shizuo didn’t immediately take the coat, Izaya’s pale face turned red and he avoided Shizuo’s gaze.  
“Just take it, idiot. I won’t have you looking like a homeless person outside my apartment.” Izaya shoved the coat into Shizuo’s chest.

Shizuo took the coat, clutching at the soft material numbly. Izaya didn’t wait for Shizuo to slip the coat on, hastily making his way down the hallway. The coat was a bit small on him, but it covered his torso for the most part. The inside of the coat was chilled from Izaya’s lack of body heat but Shizuo didn’t mind. He found himself teasing at the fur lining on the wrists, enjoying the softness against his palms. The coat smelled thickly of Izaya and it made him a little lightheaded being surrounded so completely by the scent. He hadn’t realised he was still standing in front of the elevator doors until Izaya’s voice broke him out of his reverie.  
“Hurry up, Shizu-chan, or I’m locking you out.”

********

Izaya wasn’t sure why he’d given Shizuo his coat. Pity, perhaps? No, it wasn’t like he actually cared about Shizuo’s dignity. He just wanted to spare his beloved humans from the sight of the beast. Shizuo’s midriff had been clearly exposed and his pants were far too tight to be legal. Yes, Izaya was just protecting them, he told himself firmly. They didn’t deserve to see something so… _disgusting_. He chose to ignore the fact that they were completely alone in the hallway, all of his neighbours sleeping peacefully in their beds. Shizuo finally caught up with him and Izaya let the door swing closed behind them. He expected Shizuo to hang up the coat as soon as he got inside, but the blonde surprised him by keeping the coat on. Izaya refused to acknowledge how weirdly satisfying it felt to see Shizuo wrapped in his favourite coat. Shizuo slumped roughly onto the couch, only to immediately regret the action with a hiss of pain and a hand moved to cradle his right shoulder.

“Idiot, you better not have torn your stitches. If you get blood on my coat I’ll never forgive you,” Izaya chastised him, marching towards the kitchen and rifling through his cupboards.  
“Shut up, I’m fine,” Shizuo grumbled, briefly inspecting the bandaged wound for any signs of red. His eyes widened in surprise when Izaya sat beside him with a first aid kit in hand.  
“What are you doing? I said I was fine,” Shizuo asked in confusion.  
“Shinra said the wound needed to be cleaned regularly. We might as well check it now since you’ve probably torn something,” Izaya huffed, his eyes deliberately trained on the first aid kit.  
“I can do that myself,” Shizuo insisted, making a grab for the first aid kit but he pulled it out of reach.  
“Shinra taught me how to do it properly while you were sleeping. So just shut up and take your shirt off,” Izaya ordered.

Shizuo hesitated before reluctantly pulling off Izaya’s coat and folding it neatly in his lap. He was noticeably less gentle with Shinra’s shirt, tugging roughly at the buttons and tossing it to the other side of the L-shaped couch. Shizuo reached to tug just as roughly at the bandages, but Izaya pushed his hands away. He was sure the brute’s strength would unintentionally make the wound worse if he allowed him to do it himself. Shizuo looked like he was about to protest but held his tongue when Izaya gently started to unwrap the bandage. There was quite a bit to unwrap, considering Shizuo’s neck was still bandaged along with his right shoulder and upper torso. Izaya determinedly ignored Shizuo’s eyes on him, focussing entirely on the meticulous task. Shizuo shivered the first time Izaya’s cold fingertips brushed against his bare skin and Izaya tried not to think about how pleasant the warmth felt against his fingertips. If his fingertips happened to trail across Shizuo’s skin more often as the process went on, then that was purely coincidental.

When the bandages were finally cleared away, Izaya used the opportunity to tear his eyes away from Shizuo’s bare chest and look through the first aid kit. He took deliberately longer than necessary to find the supplies he needed, before turning back to the blonde. Izaya immediately directed his eyes on the wound to stop his eyes from wandering elsewhere. To his relief, the stitches were in-tact and the wound seemed to be healing well. But it wasn’t anywhere near as healed as it should be when compared to the wounds on Shizuo’s neck. Another spark of fury flared inside Izaya as he remembered the sight of Lawless’s blade piercing Shizuo’s chest. He knew it wasn’t right to hold a grudge against the other servamp considering it had been his fault they’d fought in the first place. But this did little to comfort him. He doubted he’d be able to truly forgive Lawless until Shizuo was completely healed.

Izaya tried his best to remember Shinra’s instructions, carefully disinfecting the wound with an alcoholic wipe. Shizuo winced at the contact, the sting of the alcohol catching him off-guard and Izaya’s hands froze at the sound. His head snapped up to check Shizuo’s expression for pain, instantly regretting it as he realised how close their faces were. He found himself staring into golden eyes, the feel of Shizuo’s breath teasing at his lips. The room was silent, but the sound of their combined breathing and Shizuo’s heartbeat echoed in Izaya’s ears. He could feel the rapid pounding of Shizuo’s heart against his palm, the vibration running up his arm and into his chest to make it seem like his own. Shizuo’s eyes dropped to Izaya’s lips and Izaya felt his tongue glide across them unconsciously, golden eyes following the movement eagerly. Izaya felt himself give in, ducking to close the distance between them, before he was struck by the memory of the demon’s words. _But Shizu-chan’s always been special, ne? … He fascinated you in a way your precious humans never had. That’s why you could never bear to call him human. Couldn’t pretend your feelings for him were the same as your ‘love’ for humanity._

He wrenched his face away from Shizuo’s, fighting to keep his hands steady as he continued his task. He refused to look up at Shizuo, scared of what kind of expression might be on his face. He couldn’t kiss Shizuo with the demon’s words so fresh in his mind. It would hurt too much. Everything the demon had said was true and Izaya _knew that_. His chest clenched painfully and he swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. Shizuo would be disgusted if he knew. He’d probably call off their arrangement immediately. Izaya would be lucky if Shizuo ever looked at him again, let alone touched him. No. He couldn’t have that. Izaya couldn’t go back to how they used to be. He refused to give up the taste of Shizuo’s lips, the feel of his hair between his fingers. Izaya would be damned if he let something as ridiculous as his own  _feelings_ ruin this for him. He’d been able to keep them from himself for years. How hard could it be hiding them from the protozoan?


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well so much for getting another chapter out before Christmas. This chapter is longer than usual though, so I hope that makes up for the wait. Not much plot development this chapter but there's smut so there's that xD

Shizuo couldn’t deny his disappointment when Izaya suddenly pulled away from their almost-kiss. His brows furrowed in confusion, searching Izaya’s face for an explanation, but the vampire refused to look at him. His eyes remained trained on his hands as they cleaned Shizuo’s wound, as if the procedure required his undivided attention. The painful tugging at his stitches briefly distracted him from his scrutiny of Izaya’s actions, an involuntary hiss escaping his lips. Izaya didn’t look up at the sound but he was noticeably gentler in his methods after that. Shizuo couldn’t see his eyes but the rest of Izaya’s face was easy enough to read. His lips were white, pressed together in tension and pulled down into a grimace. His brows furrowed in what could be mistaken as concentration, if Shizuo didn’t know better. Izaya’s mask wouldn’t crack over something as tedious as disinfecting a wound. There had to be something serious on his mind to cause him this much distress.

Shizuo looked back on their recent interactions, trying to find the cause of Izaya’s cold behaviour. He’d thought they’d been getting along pretty well, neither of them feeling murderous intent towards one another for several days. Hell they’d been more than just getting along, Shizuo thought as his mind drifted to their recent make-out session at Shinra’s. Wait… Maybe that was it? The last time Izaya had gotten mad at him had been when he’d offered his blood that time. What if the blood-coated Tamago Gohan hadn’t been enough? Shit of course it hadn’t, Shizuo realised, it’d only been enough blood to cover the rice. That was barely a mouthful, nothing compared to what Izaya needed to survive. No wonder he didn’t want to kiss Shizuo. He was probably starving and feared that he’d bite him if he got too close. Shizuo felt like an idiot for not realising it sooner.

Shizuo waited patiently for Izaya to finish before bringing up the subject, just in case the vampire got upset again. The apartment was quiet as Izaya cleaned the wound on his back just as carefully as the other. Shizuo found himself fondly stroking the fur on Izaya’s coat, folded neatly in his lap, as Izaya worked. He’d always imagined this was what it’d feel like to catch the flea, his fingers only ever grazing the fur when Izaya had slipped out of his grasp time and time again. It was odd to think he could catch Izaya any time he wanted, all he’d have to do is turn around. The thought wasn’t as appealing as it should be. He supposed it wouldn’t be any fun to catch him if the flea wasn’t running away. He set the coat on the coffee table when Izaya motioned for him to turn back around, not wanting to be caught stroking the piece of clothing. Izaya didn’t bother replacing the bandages, considering the wounds on Shizuo’s neck weren’t that serious anymore. Shizuo could tell by Izaya’s tense posture and slight fidgeting that he was eager for this to be over with. Despite his clear impatience, Izaya meticulously placed gauze over both wounds, where the sword had pierced through his chest and back. He eyed his handiwork carefully until he appeared satisfied with the finished product.  

Shizuo wasn’t really sure how to bring up the subject of Izaya feeding, but he refused to let the vampire suffer in silence any longer.  
“Izaya?” Shizuo spoke up finally, clearing his throat awkwardly. Izaya hummed in acknowledgement but kept his eyes downturned as he methodically packed away the first aid kit. The frown on his face had settled into an exhausted look, as if his thoughts had physically worn him out somehow. Izaya closed the first aid kit, clicking the latches on each side with both hands, before reaching for the handle with his right. Shizuo grabbed his hand to stop him, hoping to pull his attention back to him. Izaya froze, turning to look at Shizuo with wide-eyes.  
“Are you okay?” Shizuo asked gently, his concern evident in his voice. Izaya stared at him silently for a few moments before snatching his hand back and turning his eyes away once more.  
“Of course I am, idiot. You’re the one who’s injured, not me,” he scoffed but his smirk didn’t reach his eyes.

When Izaya stood something inside Shizuo panicked, telling him that if he let Izaya walk away now he’d lose his chance. Before he could think his actions through, Shizuo wrapped his arms around Izaya’s waist and pulled the informant into his lap before the flea could run away again. Izaya tensed in his arms, taken by surprise at the sudden embrace.  
“What the hell are you doing, you stupid brute? Let me go,” Izaya hissed, his ears and neck turning a nice shade of red. The sight made Shizuo want to kiss the skin, but he shook the intrusive thought from his head. Izaya squirmed in his lap, trying unsuccessfully to wriggle out of his grip. The vampire may be a lot stronger than he used to be, but Shizuo was still stronger. All Izaya’s attempts did was grind his ass against Shizuo’s crouch and he tried not to let the sensation distract him.

“Dammit Flea, stop struggling!” Shizuo growled in frustration, only realising that he’d used Izaya’s nickname when the vampire went limp in his arms. Izaya’s head flopped onto his left shoulder, leaning heavily against Shizuo’s chest as his arms went slack by his sides. Shizuo could see Izaya’s eyes again, but all he could see in them was fury and a slight tinge of fear. Fuck, this was the opposite of what he’d wanted to happen. Why was it so hard to help this bastard?  
“Shit, I’m sorry, Izaya. I didn’t mean to do that. I just wanted you to calm down,” Shizuo said guiltily.  
“Well congratulations, Shizu-chan. I’m completely at your mercy. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted. I hope you know I’m going to stab you the moment I get back control of my limbs,” Izaya growled. Shizuo grimaced knowing that Izaya had a right to be pissed at him, even if it was an accident.  

Shizuo was about to break the command, but realised having Izaya unable to run away actually made things a lot easier. Maybe now he’d actually listen to what Shizuo had to say and not be a stubborn bastard about it. No matter what, Shizuo knew he wouldn’t take advantage of the situation by making Izaya do anything he didn’t want to do. So would it really hurt to drag it out a little?  
“Izaya, are you hungry?” Shizuo asked, his hands unconsciously twitching against Izaya’s thin waist.  
“Huh?” Izaya asked, his eyes squinting in confusion at the sudden change of topic.  
“Do you need to drink my blood?” Shizuo clarified. He watched as Izaya’s eyes flickered to his neck, which was only inches away from his face now, before dragging his eyes back to Shizuo.  
“I’m fine. I ate earlier,” Izaya reminded him, but his Adam’s apple visibly bobbed as he swallowed and Shizuo could swear his fangs looked more prominent than before.  
“That couldn’t have been enough. I think you should have some more,” Shizuo suggested firmly.  
“Dammit, Shizu-chan, I already told you I’m fine. Now let me go before I change my mind about killing you,” Izaya hissed.

He was avoiding Shizuo’s gaze again, staring determinedly at the wall in front of them. Shizuo lightly grabbed his chin and turned his head to look at him, realising belatedly that the action brought their faces even closer than before. His eyes dropped to Izaya’s lips unconsciously but he resisted the urge to close the distance. He wouldn’t kiss Izaya while the other couldn’t push him away. When he lifted his eyes back to Izaya’s, he found a mixture of panic and longing in Izaya’s gaze. His pale face was flushed a deep scarlet and he was holding his breath. Izaya immediately tried to look away again and Shizuo let him, gently letting his chin go. His odd reaction to Shizuo’s proximity had confirmed his suspicions anyway. Izaya must be seriously starving if he was so affected that he couldn’t even breathe this close to him. Shizuo decided in that moment that he would make sure Izaya drank some of his blood, even if it took all morning to convince him.

********

Izaya felt like he was in a living nightmare. This situation was torture. He wished Shizuo would just kiss him so he could at least pretend he would’ve resisted if he had the choice. Despite knowing that kissing Shizuo now would only hurt him in the long run, he didn’t want it any less. It didn’t help that Shizuo cradled him in his arms like a lover, touching him with a fondness that Izaya’s fragile heart couldn’t handle. How was Izaya supposed to act indifferent if the blonde was determined to treat him so tenderly? It’s like Shizuo was torturing him on purpose, giving Izaya a taste of the affection he craved, only to take it away when he let his guard down. To make matters worse, Shizuo had to remind him of his growing thirst. He probably could’ve lasted another day without feeding, but the brute just had to tempt him, literally dangling his neck in front of his face. Shizuo’s heart beat steadily against Izaya’s back and he couldn’t help imagining the warm blood rushing down his throat. Izaya was glad that he couldn’t move because he was sure he’d have already lunged for the blonde’s jugular otherwise.

Izaya knew he shouldn’t entertain the idea of biting Shizuo. Not so soon after realising his feelings. Every time the act had devolved into something sexual and Izaya wasn’t sure he’d be able to deny how desperate he was if things went that way. It wasn’t healthy to keep enabling himself. Shizuo had only agreed to this arrangement for convenience, after all. He’d drop Izaya in a second if a better option came along. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth and Izaya fought to keep the pain from reflecting on his face.    
“I already told you, I’m fine. I don’t need to eat as often as humans do,” Izaya insisted through gritted teeth, his fangs biting painfully into his bottom lip. Blood spilled into his mouth where his teeth pierced the skin, the rancid taste causing his stomach to clench in protest.  
“Come on, Izaya. Don’t be ridiculous, I know you’re hungry. It’s not going to hurt if you have a little blood. Just say yes, so we can go to bed already,” Shizuo sighed in frustration. _We._ If his dormant heart could flutter, Izaya was sure it would have at Shizuo’s casual statement. Did the brute even realise what he was saying? It was just like the idiot to assume they’d be sleeping together from now on after sharing a bed once or twice.

“Why are you so adamant about this, Shizu-chan? Hmmm? You know if you want to do lewd things, all you have to do is ask,” Izaya teased, forcing his usual smirk upon his face despite his internal debate. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Shizuo to deny the allegation or take it as the thinly veiled invitation it was. Shizuo tried to look offended but the flush on his face lessened its effectiveness.  
“That’s not what this is about, you pervert. Can’t I give a shit about your wellbeing without having some ulterior motive?” Shizuo huffed. No, you can’t, Izaya thought bitterly. Shizuo didn’t realise the damage his kindness was doing to Izaya’s carefully crafted defences. The wall he’d worked so hard to build around his heart was crumbling as easily as real bricks under Shizuo’s hands. It wasn’t fair. The bastard wasn’t even trying. Izaya clenched his eyes shut tightly against the threat of tears, his body felt heavy and he was glad the command gave him an excuse to slump against the blonde. He might as well enjoy the feeling of Shizuo’s arms around him while it lasted. A hand gently patted Izaya’s hair and he determinedly kept his eyes shut, refusing to look at whatever expression was on Shizuo’s face.

Izaya’s chest ached and all he wanted was to bury his face in the crook of Shizuo’s neck. But he knew that would only make him feel worse, both physically and mentally.  
“It’s painful, isn’t it?” Shizuo’s voice was barely above a whisper beside his ear. You have no idea, Izaya thought dejectedly as he tried to ignore the gentle concern in Shizuo’s voice.  
“You don’t need to torture yourself like this. I’m not gonna bleed out again. My body’s had enough time to recover. I’ll order you to stop if you’re worried about getting carried away,” Shizuo promised him. It didn’t look like he was going to give up anytime soon and Izaya knew it was time to give in. Shizuo was too stubborn and Izaya was too exhausted to keep fighting against something his body wanted so badly. If his fragile heart shattered, then that was something he’d deal with later.

“Fine, I’ll drink,” Izaya relented, blinking his eyes open. At least the sting of almost-tears had passed.  
Shizuo’s face lit up with relief and his hold against Izaya’s waist tightened in a hug that Izaya was sure must be unconscious on Shizuo’s part.  
“Great, go ahead,” Shizuo said and then looked sheepish, “Oh right, um Flea you can move now if you want.”  
Izaya felt the command run through his body but he stayed where he was. He knew why. The problem was, he didn’t _want_ to move. He was content where he was in Shizuo’s arms and the stupid command knew that. Shizuo frowned when Izaya remained motionless.  
“Did it not work?” he asked uncertainly. Izaya sighed.  
“Your command must’ve been too vague,” he lied, “Just order me to bite you or something.”  
Shizuo didn’t look quite convinced but, to Izaya’s relief, he didn’t question him further.  
“Okay Flea, I want you to bite me and drink until you’ve had enough blood to sustain you or I tell you to stop,” Shizuo spoke cautiously, obviously worrying over his word choice.

Izaya felt the command pull his body into motion. He twisted around in Shizuo’s lap, so that he comfortably straddled his thighs, before burying his teeth into the human’s neck. Shizuo let out a small hiss in pain as the fangs broke the skin, but he quickly relaxed underneath him. Warm blood spilled over Izaya’s tongue and he lapped at the sweet-tasting liquid hungrily. The blood drove the chill from his body like hot chocolate on a cold winter night and he couldn’t remember why he’d ever tried to deny himself this bliss. His mind narrowed down to sensations rather than coherent thoughts. He vaguely registered a hand rubbing his back soothingly as he drank, but the sensation was dulled in contrast to the feeling of blood flowing down his throat. After a few more mouthfuls, Izaya found his hunger satiated. He was glad Shizuo had specified a limit in his command, otherwise he might’ve kept drinking, Izaya thought as he unlatched his teeth to gently lick the wound.

Shizuo shivered as Izaya’s tongue travelled the sensitive expanse of his neck, his hand gripping the back of Izaya’s shirt in a clenched fist. Izaya’s hands moved to cradle the back of Shizuo’s neck, his fingers tangling in the blond locks. Once the bleeding stopped he began trailing open-mouthed kisses along Shizuo’s neck, his mind too foggy to remember why he’d feared this exact scenario. Shizuo groaned encouragement, his left hand tangling itself into Izaya’s hair. His blunt nails caressed Izaya’s scalp pleasantly and the vampire’s chest rumbled in a close approximation of a purr. If Izaya had been in his right mind, he would’ve been disturbed by the feline trait rearing its head while he was in human form. As it was, the action went entirely unnoticed by the vampire. He continued to claim Shizuo’s neck with wet kisses and gentle bites that didn’t break the skin, leaving behind an array of hickeys and love bites surrounding the large crescent-shaped wound. Izaya admired his handiwork with approval, content that anyone who saw this would know Shizuo belonged to him.

Unfortunately that thought shook Izaya back to reality, his previous actions becoming clearer in his mind and his fears of heartbreak welling up once again. His common sense told him he should stop while he had the chance, but Izaya couldn’t will himself to do so. Even if it hurt him in the long run, he wanted this too badly to stop now. Fuck it. If he was going to enable these stupid feelings of his, then he might as well make the most of it. With newfound determination, Izaya moved his attention to the rest of Shizuo’s unmarked skin. Shirtless as he was, Shizuo’s chest was on full display to Izaya’s appreciative gaze. He lightly nipped his way down Shizuo’s chest, careful to avoid the white gauze covering the top half of his left pectoral. Izaya couldn’t help feeling slightly nervous at what he planned to do next, unsure if Shizuo would derive pleasure from his nipples as women supposedly did. But when Izaya’s mouth latched onto his right nipple, Shizuo moaned encouragement and his nerves faded. Izaya marvelled at how the nub gradually hardened under his tongue’s ministrations. His right hand moved to tease the other nipple, which only just escaped being covered under the gauze. Izaya enjoyed the breathy noises Shizuo made as he took his time toying with his chest. Izaya pulled away from Shizuo’s chest to admire the sight of Shizuo’s abused nipples, hard and red against his tan skin.

He could feel how hard Shizuo was against his thigh and his own dick throbbed against his jeans. Shizuo’s hips occasionally jerked upwards in search of friction, but the informant’s hips stayed determinedly out of reach. Izaya knew if he started grinding against Shizuo they’d end up dry humping to completion like last time. He wasn’t going to let this end so quickly. If he was putting his heart on the line, then Izaya was damn well going to enjoy every minute of it. It would be easy to fool himself into thinking that Shizuo craved him just as much as Izaya did, especially when he stared at him with such blown pupils and flushed cheeks. But it didn’t matter how willing Shizuo seemed now, he would surely come to his senses before long and inevitably reject him. Izaya knew it was just a physical reaction for Shizuo. He would react this way to anyone, he reminded himself firmly. Shizuo’s expression turned to one of confusion as Izaya pulled himself from Shizuo’s lap to stand in front of the couch. The confusion morphed into one of shock as Izaya dropped to his knees in front of him.

He grabbed Shizuo’s knees, attempting to spread them apart but Shinra’s pyjama pants were too tight to allow more than a few inches of movement. They looked painfully tight against Shizuo’s cock and Izaya made quick work removing them. Admittedly he might’ve been too rough in his efforts because the pants tore in his hands when he roughly tugged at the material. He looked at the torn clothing in surprise before dropping it to the floor with a shrug. He doubted Shinra would mind if he never got the pyjamas back. It was likely that the doctor had assumed they’d get ruined in the first place, although he’d probably expected one of Izaya’s knives to be the culprit rather than his hands. Izaya realised now was _not_ the time to be thinking of his best friend, bringing his attention back to Shizuo’s erection straining against his boxers. Izaya was deliberately gentler as he pulled Shizuo’s boxers down his thighs, knowing Shizuo would be a bit more annoyed at his own clothing being torn.

Rather than dropping his boxers, Izaya placed them on the couch nearby so Shizuo could easily find them later. He raked his eyes over Shizuo’s bare skin appreciatively. In the past having a naked protozoan on his expensive couch might’ve bothered him, but right now Izaya couldn’t bring himself to care. He could feel his nerves return at full force as he took in the sight of Shizuo’s large cock standing to attention against his stomach. How was that possibly going to fit in his mouth let alone… other places? Izaya swallowed anxiously, refusing to let his fear stop him now. He slid his hands down Shizuo’s thighs from where they’d rested upon his knees, trying to look more confident than he felt as he wrapped a hand around the base of Shizuo’s cock. The blonde choked on a startled inhale and his hips jerked upward in response. Izaya dragged his hand up and down the velvety skin, pleased by the groans of encouragement that escaped Shizuo’s lips. He knew he was stalling, but Shizuo didn’t seem to mind. His breath came in pants as his hips moved in time with the movements to fuck into Izaya’s fist. His dick leaked generously at the attention, allowing Izaya’s hand to glide easier over the length. Izaya hesitated briefly before ducking down to swipe his tongue over the tip experimentally. Shizuo shuddered at the sensation, his breath hitching. The taste was dulled, as all food had been since Izaya had turned, but he detected enough salty bitterness to make him glad he couldn’t taste it fully. Feeling a little more confident, he trailed his tongue along Shizuo’s cock from base to tip. Shizuo gasped, a hand burying itself into Izaya’s hair to clutch the locks. He didn’t use the grip to push Izaya’s head down, for which the brunette was grateful. He needed to do this at his own pace.

Izaya continued to explore Shizuo’s cock with his tongue, slowly pumping his hand along the length as he did so. By the time Izaya finally built up the courage to try blowing Shizuo properly, he froze as he realised he’d overlooked one major flaw in his plan. His fangs. Izaya may not know much about giving head, but he knew that teeth were definitely not welcome. He’d have a hard enough time keeping his regular teeth out of the equation while attempting to fit Shizuo’s monstrous cock into his mouth, let alone keeping track of two large razor sharp fangs the whole time. Embarrassment flared through Izaya as he realised there was no way he could follow through. Shizuo must’ve noticed Izaya’s distress because his grip on Izaya’s hair softened and his hand trailed to Izaya’s chin to gently lift his gaze towards him.  
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Shizuo asked, softly stroking his thumb over Izaya’s cheek. Izaya leant into the touch without thinking.  
“It’s embarrassing. I don’t want to say it,” Izaya pouted, his whole face feeling hot.  
“Your mouth was literally just on my dick. I think we’re past the point of being embarrassed in front of each other,” Shizuo chuckled, but his own face flushed at his words.

Izaya couldn’t help laughing too. He had to admit, this situation was pretty ridiculous.  
“Fine, but promise you won’t laugh,” Izaya sighed.  
“I promise,” Shizuo assured him.  
“I can’t blow you. My fangs will get in the way,” Izaya admitted warily.  
“Oh,” Shizuo said dully and then his eyes widened, “ _Oh_.”  
Shizuo broke into laughter, his abdomen muscles tensing visibly as he shook.  
“You said you wouldn’t laugh,” Izaya grumbled, hitting the brute’s thigh in disapproval and wishing the floor would swallow him up. Shizuo pulled himself together, reaching out to hook his hands under Izaya’s armpits and pulled the informant up to sit on his lap.  
“I’m sorry, Izaya, but that’s really funny. I never thought about the logistics of a vampire trying to give a blowjob before,” Shizuo smirked at him, poking his index finger at one of Izaya’s fangs in amusement. Izaya jerked his head away, in both embarrassment and fear that the fang would cut Shizuo’s finger. Shizuo dropped his hand, letting it join his other as his arms wrapped around Izaya’s waist. It felt odd sitting on a naked man’s lap while being fully clothed himself, Izaya mused.

“Shut up. Aren’t you even the slightest bit disappointed? I had no idea getting a blowjob was such a trivial thing for you, Shizu-chan,” Izaya huffed, hiding his face in Shizuo’s neck. Shizuo took it as an opportunity to pat his hair again. Izaya swallowed down a purr that tried to escape his throat.  
“Well of course I’m disappointed, but it’s not like it’s the only thing we can do. I mean, I could always give _you_ a blowjob instead,” Shizuo said casually as if he were offering Izaya a cup of tea.  
Izaya pulled back to stare at Shizuo with wide eyes. Shizuo looked confused by his reaction.  
“What? Why are you so shocked? You’re not the only one allowed to give blowjobs,” Shizuo said defensively. Izaya choked out a laugh.  
“Well I just never thought you’d want to, is all,” Izaya admitted. Shizuo frowned.  
“Of course I want to. I’m not some selfish asshole who wouldn’t want to make his lover feel good,” Shizuo grumbled, saying the word lover with no hesitation whatsoever. Shizuo had called Izaya his lover. Even if he meant it in a totally physical sense, Izaya couldn’t help feeling warmth spread through his chest at the word. He tangled his hands into Shizuo’s hair, pulling Shizuo’s head towards him as he leant to capture his lips against his. He ignored the part of him that screamed he was being too vulnerable, letting himself pretend that Shizuo had meant lover in the true sense of the world. Shizuo’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. Izaya melted into the embrace, allowing himself just a moment to imagine this was what it would feel like if Shizuo felt the same way.

Suddenly Izaya was being manhandled, as easily as a doll in Shizuo’s arms, until his back was pressed against the couch cushions. Shizuo tugged Izaya’s shirt over his head and Izaya got the message, fumbling with his belt in his haste to remove his jeans. He felt a little self-conscious once he was just as nude as Shizu-chan, but the lustful look in Shizuo’s eyes as he gazed down at him made Izaya forget his anxiety. He was disappointed when Shizuo didn’t immediately return to kissing him, but his disappointment turned to anticipation as Shizuo scooted down to settle between his thighs. Shizuo began trailing kisses along his stomach, his hands caressing Izaya’s inner thighs lightly. Izaya was unbearably hard by the time Shizuo made his way to his dick, precome leaking down his length in expectation. Shizuo didn’t beat around the bush like Izaya had, wrapping his lips around Izaya’s cock with little hesitation. Izaya’s hips shook with the effort of keeping still. He didn’t want to push his luck by accidentally choking Shizu-chan on his dick. Shizuo gradually took in more and more of his length as he bobbed his head up and down. Meanwhile his tongue swirled around Izaya’s dick as if he was an obscene popsicle, dragging embarrassing noises from Izaya’s throat.

Izaya could feel his orgasm building up quick and he was sure he wouldn’t last much longer.  
“Wait,” Izaya gasped and Shizuo instantly pulled back.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gravelly from the abuse on his throat and Izaya almost came at the sound alone.  
“I’m gonna come,” Izaya told him.  
“That’s okay, go for it,” Shizuo told him, leaning back in towards his cock. Izaya put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, shaking his head as he tried to organise his thoughts into a coherent explanation of what he wanted. ‘I want us to both feel good’ sounded far too sappy for his tastes.  
“I have a better idea, come here,” he gestured for Shizuo to scoot up. He looked confused but followed his instructions, leaning over Izaya so that they were face to face again. Izaya reached for Shizuo’s hip with his left hand, pulling him down so that their dicks pressed together and wrapped his right hand around them. Or at least tried his best to, their accumulative girth was a bit much for one hand. Shizuo pushed Izaya’s hand aside to wrap his hand around them instead, his larger grip more suited to the task.

Izaya’s dick was still slick from Shizuo’s spit and their combined precome made up for Shizuo’s dick’s lack of it. Izaya grabbed Shizuo’s ass, pulling him forward encouragingly and bucking his own hips up to meet the friction. Shizuo quickly caught on, humping into his hand and Izaya’s dick eagerly. Izaya wasn’t sure if the sensation felt better than Shizuo’s mouth, but the wrecked noises Shizuo made were definitely worth it. Izaya let go of Shizuo’s ass to wrap his arms around his neck, pulling Shizuo into a passionate kiss. They kissed until the pleasure became too much and Izaya found himself burying his face in Shizuo’s neck, moans escaping his throat with each thrust of Shizuo’s hips. He came before Shizuo did, still worked up from earlier, shuddering and spilling against his stomach. Shizuo continued to thrust desperately against him and, just as Izaya began to think it might be too much for his overstimulated dick, Shizuo tensed and warm semen joined the mess on his abdomen.

Shizuo removed his hand from their dicks, leaning on both his forearms to keep from crushing Izaya as they panted against eachother’s necks. As much as Izaya wanted to savour the post-orgasmic bliss, he could feel their semen cooling against his stomach and his need to clean it up won. He lightly pushed at Shizuo’s shoulder and it took the blonde a moment to realise what Izaya wanted. He pulled away, sitting up to heavily lean against the back of the couch cushion instead. Izaya’s hand searched the floor, grabbing Shinra’s torn pyjama pants and using them to wipe his chest clean before tossing them over the couch to throw away later. His eyes searched the room for his own clothes before he decided getting dressed sounded like far too much effort right now. He let his eyes droop closed, fully content to fall asleep right there, but it seemed Shizuo had other plans. He scooped Izaya up into his arms, not even bothering to put his boxers back on beforehand.  
“What are you doing? Put me down, beast,” Izaya whined, but his heart wasn’t in it as he settled his head into the crook of Shizuo’s neck.  
“It’s late. We’re going to bed, Flea,” Shizuo then proceeded to carry Izaya upstairs to his bedroom.


	23. Chapter 23

Shizuo woke up to an empty bed and couldn’t understand why he found this fact disappointing. The logical part of him knew this was normal and he shouldn’t have expected any differently. That didn’t stop a frown from settling between his eyebrows as he groggily blinked at the empty space beside him. He stretched a hand out to touch the sheets. He found no sign of the chill he’d expect them to have if Izaya had been there recently. He’d probably been gone for a while then. The fancy digital clock on Izaya’s dresser informed him it was just past noon. Shizuo hoped Izaya had allowed himself at least a few hours rest before getting up, considering how late they’d finally gone to sleep.

Eventually he mustered the willpower to drag himself out of bed. His stab wound ached dully as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He gently rubbed a hand over the gauze as if that would somehow soothe the sting of irritated stitches underneath. It was kind of disorienting having a wound persistently hurt for this long. Shizuo had almost forgotten what pain felt like. On one hand it was nice to have a reminder that, no matter what everyone else thought, he _was_ human. But it was a bittersweet sentiment, an unwelcome reminder of how fleeting human life could be. That no matter how invincible he seemed, he could still die. That one day he _would_ die. Yet Izaya wouldn’t. He wondered if the flea would mourn him. If you’d asked him a week ago he would’ve been certain that Izaya would be thrilled at the news, would’ve likely been the cause in fact. But now he wasn’t so sure. Izaya had been furious after Lawless attacked him and he’d shown concern for Shizuo’s health numerous times since. Shizuo would’ve found it odd if he hadn’t found himself doing the exact same thing lately. He just couldn’t help feeling protective of Izaya after pulling him back from the brink. He never wanted to see Izaya that low ever again. For the life of him, he couldn’t pinpoint when exactly his opinion on the flea’s wellbeing had shifted so dramatically.

Shizuo sighed, pushing the thoughts aside as he shuffled towards the bedroom’s en suite. It wouldn’t do him any good to worry over pointless stuff. All this psychoanalysing was giving him a headache. He wasn’t the flea. He didn’t need to question the thought process behind his every action. Shizuo had never been one to question himself before, impulsively doing whatever he felt was right in the moment without any consideration for the motivations behind it. He was emotionally-driven, anger unfortunately being the main driving force behind most of his reactions. But lately Shizuo had been more calm, particularly around Izaya. In the past, just the smell of the flea in Ikebukuro would sent him flying into a rage. But recently he’d been able to withstand Izaya’s sharp remarks, even finding himself teasing the man back. He should just be glad that his rage wasn’t influencing his decisions for once instead of trying to decipher why. If his sudden change of heart meant he didn’t have to fight with Izaya anymore, then who was he to complain?

Shizuo leant over Izaya’s pristine white sink, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes and washing away any lingering drowsiness. As he patted his face dry with a nearby hand towel he found himself once again amazed by how soft all of Izaya’s towels were. Even the hand towels felt unnecessarily expensive. This would’ve pissed him off in the past, seeing how carelessly Izaya threw his wealth around, but it was hard to be mad about it while enjoying the benefits of his rich lifestyle at no cost. Someone might as well appreciate these luxuries since Izaya clearly took them for granted, Shizuo decided. He returned the hand towel to a metal ring hanging beside the sink, his eyes catching sight of the tattoo surrounding his left wrist as he did so. He’d almost forgotten all about it, too distracted with meeting the other servamps to remember to ask about it. Shizuo studied it for a long time before finally realising why it looked so familiar. It was the same shape as the hammer Izaya’s demon had gifted him. He honestly hadn’t thought about the weapon since his fight with Lawless. So this was where that had gone. He wondered if it was stuck like this now or if it would manifest again when he needed it. Either way, Shizuo was glad he didn’t have to carry it around anymore.

Shizuo considered himself in the large vanity mirror above the sink, surprised to find several blue and red blemishes littering the skin around the latest bite wound. He would’ve thought his fast rate of healing would’ve taken care of the hickeys by now. They must’ve been pretty dark last night if they were still clear on his skin hours later. He curiously poked his index finger at the bruises, they didn’t hurt or anything. Shizuo decided he didn’t particularly mind the marks. It was actually kind of amusing to see how easily Izaya had managed to claim another mark upon his skin. As always, the flea was the only one who’d managed to do so. Even the bullet wounds in his abdomen hadn’t scarred. Yet Izaya had managed to leave a scar behind on their very first meeting, his younger skin not as tough as it is now. For years just the sight of the scar would drive him into a rage.

But, as he eyed the scar in the mirror now, Shizuo felt none of the usual anger stir inside him. Instead he felt a sort of fond acceptance. If his skin was to be marked, it felt right that Izaya was the one to do so. Although he might not be the only one anymore, Shizuo realised as he considered the patch of gauze on his chest. He gently pulled off the gauze to inspect the stitches, disappointed to find that the wound hadn’t healed much since yesterday. Was this really how slowly normal wounds healed? God it was so annoying. He just wanted to be back to full health already. He couldn’t use his left arm without putting strain on the stitches. He wondered if he’d even be fit for work again by Monday. Not that he’d take time off even if he wasn’t. He couldn’t let Tom-senpai down, after all.

********

Izaya had been working tirelessly at his computer ever since he’d woken up this morning. He’d basically finished gathering all the necessary information on Yagiri Pharmaceuticals by the time he heard Shizuo making his way downstairs. He was almost too consumed by his work to look up, but was glad he did when he was graced by the sight of a half-naked Shizu-chan. The blonde had on nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair steadily dripped water onto his neck, the droplets gliding their way down his chest and back as he moved. The patches of gauze on Shizuo’s chest and back had been removed, but Izaya supposed it was good to let the wound air out for a while before replacing them. Although he’d seen Shizuo naked just that morning, it didn’t make the sight any less shocking. Izaya couldn’t help admiring the marks he’d left on Shizuo’s neck in satisfaction. Shizuo gave him a nod in greeting but otherwise didn’t acknowledge him, too busy searching the living room for his clothing. Izaya had to actively make an effort to stop staring, dragging his eyes back to his monitor before the blonde could notice how flustered his appearance had made him.  

“Oi Izaya, do you have any clothes I could borrow?” Shizuo finally asked after realising he didn’t actually have anything to wear. Izaya tried to keep his face neutral as he turned to the blonde. Thankfully, or unfortunately Izaya couldn’t decide, Shizuo had donned his boxers and wrapped the towel around his neck to obscure his chest somewhat.  
“Shizu-chan, I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed but you’re a giant with outrageously lanky limbs. None of my clothes have any hope of fitting you,” Izaya scoffed.  
“Well what am I supposed to do then? I didn’t bring a change of clothes because I thought we’d be going back to my place,” Shizuo frowned.  
“No need to pout, Shizu-chan. I’ll get you something to wear. In the meantime, you can just stay as you are. It’s not like it’s anything I haven’t seen before,” Izaya shrugged, trying not to look as pleased with the suggestion as he was. Shizuo sighed, dropping onto the couch in defeat. Izaya began composing a text message to Namie, adding a set of clothes in Shizuo’s size to the list of instructions he’d given her this morning. She was likely already on her way and he smirked as he imagined the annoyed look on her face at having to make a detour.

“I should just start leaving some clothes in your dresser if I’m going to be here every weekend anyway,” Shizuo suggested casually, roughly rubbing the towel over his blonde locks. Izaya’s thumb froze over his phone’s keyboard. Surely the brute didn’t realise the implications of such a statement. He couldn’t know that clearing a drawer for your significant other’s use was common practise among couples. It was just for convenience, he hastily reminded himself.  
“If that’s what you want, I suppose I can’t stop you,” Izaya kept his tone passive, his eyes glued to his phone screen. The lines between their current dynamic and a romantic relationship were getting more and more blurred. If Izaya wasn’t careful he would start deluding himself into thinking there was something more between them. He couldn’t let that happen, he had to remember what was real.

Shizuo left his hair dishevelled after drying it, placing the damp towel on the coffee table before he headed to the kitchen. The brute loudly rummaged through Izaya’s cupboards and fridge in search of something to make for breakfast. At first Izaya tried to ignore him and focus on his work again, but his attention kept coming back to the blonde. Shizuo really was terrible at cooking, Izaya noted as he watched Shizuo struggle with the simple task. Rather than chopping the ingredients, it looked more like Shizuo was butchering them. There was no technique to his motions as the knife slammed down upon the vegetables, slicing them unevenly each time the blade struck Izaya’s chopping board. Izaya feared the wooden block would snap under Shizuo’s ministrations and his countertop would suffer the consequences. He knew the brute likely wasn’t trying to be so rough, but pure intentions wouldn’t protect his property. Izaya rolled his eyes, pulling himself out of his chair in resignation. He couldn’t let this go on any longer.

“Give me that,” Izaya sighed, holding his hand out expectantly and Shizuo looked at him in suspicion.  
“I’m not going to stab you with it, idiot. I’m just going to show you how to do it properly,” Izaya explained, waving his open hand impatiently. Shizuo looked down at the scattered remains of the cabbage he’d been hacking at before begrudgingly handing the knife over to Izaya.  
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you how to cook, Shizu-chan?” Izaya chuckled, as he slowly demonstrated how to correctly slice the vegetables in front of them. Shizuo scowled.  
“My parents tried a few times, but I kept accidentally breaking kitchen utensils. I guess at some point they realised they couldn’t afford to keep teaching me. But it’s not like I can’t cook at all. Food doesn’t have to be pretty to eat it, you know,” Shizuo huffed, but he obediently watched Izaya work.

Izaya ended up taking over completely, letting himself enjoy the familiar act of cooking. It only occurred to him now that he wouldn’t need to cook for himself anymore. He might not have cooked ever again if Shizuo hadn’t needed his help. Izaya was glad that wasn’t the case, considering he actually really liked cooking. It was therapeutic and Izaya could let his mind wander as he went through the motions of the task without much concentration. Sometimes Izaya would play music or listen to a podcast while he cooked, allowing his brain to rest from his constant thinking for a little while. It’d be a shame to give that up. He wondered if Shizuo would let him cook for him again every once in a while. Shizuo didn’t seem to mind relinquishing the task to him, simply watching and occasionally helping with tasks that Izaya decided even the brute couldn’t mess up.

“How did you get so good at cooking anyway?” Shizuo asked him as Izaya was plating the dish.  
“It’s just practice. I was the one who did the cooking in our house while my sisters were younger,” Izaya explained with a shrug.  
“How come your parents didn’t do the cooking?” Shizuo frowned in confusion.  
“My parents weren’t home often. They had important careers to attend to, after all,” Izaya tried not to let the bitterness he felt leak into his voice. Izaya didn’t discuss his childhood for a reason. The last thing he needed was to look even more vulnerable in front of the blonde than he already had. Shizuo’s frown deepened but just as he was about to reply, a familiar voice came to Izaya’s rescue.

“Well isn’t this domestic.”

********

Shizuo startled at the sudden interruption, his head whipping around to find Izaya’s secretary scowling at them from the entry way. Izaya didn’t look surprised to see her so Shizuo assumed she must have her own key to the apartment. Her arms were crossed, a plastic shopping bag hung from her right wrist, as she eyed Shizuo up and down with an unimpressed expression. He suddenly realised how he must look, standing in Izaya’s kitchen in only his boxers with hickeys and bite marks on his neck. Shizuo uselessly tried to cover the marks with his hand before realising it was pointless. It was already too late to hide them and he didn’t particularly care if this woman knew about them anyway, he told himself firmly. It’s not like he was embarrassed by his arrangement with Izaya. His sex life just wasn’t anyone’s business.  

“Ah Namie, didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude not to knock before entering someone’s home? What if you’d walked in on something indecent?” Izaya teased her, seemingly unaffected by Namie’s judgemental stare. Shizuo, however, flushed at Izaya’s blatant admittance of their sexual exploits. Sure it had been pretty obvious but he hadn’t expected Izaya to be so forthright about it.  
Namie scoffed. “I bet you’d love that, you pervert. Unfortunately I’m not that into voyeurism, so I’ll have to pass. It seems your boyfriend isn’t too keen on the idea either. Look at the poor man blush.”  
Shizuo spluttered in protest, his mortification at the situation increasing by the moment. Shizuo felt Izaya stiffen beside him and he wondered if Izaya was more self-conscious than he appeared.  
“Don’t be silly, Namie. Shizu-chan’s not my boyfriend,” Izaya’s laugh sounded forced, “It’s just a bit of fun between consenting adults, that’s all.” Namie rolled her eyes at him.  
“Whatever, it’s not like I give a shit about your love life anyway. Can we just hurry up and get this over with then? I’m supposed to be on vacation, as you seem to have forgotten,” Namie huffed.  
“Yes, yes, of course~ I trust you brought all the items I requested?” Izaya gestured to the bag.  
“Obviously,” Namie snapped, handing him the bag roughly.

Relieved by the change of topic, Shizuo took the opportunity to grab his plate and escape to the living room. He couldn’t help listening to their conversation as he ate.  
“I don’t know why you didn’t just borrow a lab coat from that crazy doctor friend of yours. I’m sure he has a closet full of them.”  
“Ah but his lab coats don’t have the official Yagiri Pharmaceuticals logo on the breast, do they?”  
“A lab coat isn’t going to fool anyone. You need an access card to even get through the doors.”  
“That’s why I need your ID card, my dear secretary.”  
“It’s not going to work. My employee profile has been deleted from their system. It’s just a useless piece of plastic now.”  
“Your lack of faith in me is truly hurtful. Obviously, I wouldn’t have asked for it if I didn’t have a plan. I happen to know someone with quite a knack for technology. He’ll have no problem digging up your old profile and putting it back on the system. As the previous head of the company, I’m sure you had access to all areas of the facility, ne? How truly fortunate I am to have such a useful secretary~”  
Once again Shizuo couldn’t help being impressed by the level of planning Izaya had put into his plan.

He tried his best not to draw attention to himself as he returned to the kitchen to rinse his empty plate in the sink. Unfortunately, as soon as he was finished Izaya spoke in his direction.  
“Dear Namie has been kind enough to bring you some clothes, Shizu-chan. Isn’t that wonderful?”  
There was no actual gratitude in Izaya’s voice, despite the kind words. He pulled a neatly folded square of clothing out of the bag and handed them to the blonde. Shizuo accepted it, surprised at how soft the material felt in his hands. A navy blue button up lay atop a dark blue pair of denim jeans. He recognised the logo on the tags as one he’d seen on some of his brother’s clothes. Curious, he turned the tags over to check the price and almost choked. What the hell? Who would pay this much for clothes? It would take him several weeks to pay these off!  
“Don’t worry, Shizu-chan. Consider it repayment for all the bartender uniforms I’ve ruined over the years,” Izaya reassured him, clearly noticing Shizuo’s distress. Namie cleared her throat loudly.  
“Yes, Namie, you’ll be re-compensated of course. I’ll add it to your paycheque,” Izaya sighed, pulling out his cheque book. He hurriedly scribbled down the details and Shizuo stared in disbelief at the outrageous sum. Just how much money did this bastard have anyway?

When he was done, Izaya casually handed the cheque over to Namie like it was nothing.  
“Run along now, Shizu-chan. Your state of undress is making poor Namie uncomfortable. She only has eyes for her darling brother, you see,” Izaya waved him away, grinning widely in response to Namie’s subsequent glare.  
“This from the man sleeping with someone he constantly refers to as a ‘beast’. What’s worse, I wonder, incest or bestiality?” Namie hummed in fake thought and Izaya’s smirk twisted into a scowl. Shizuo left the pair to their bickering as he headed upstairs to change. Their relationship was seriously confusing. Shizuo wasn’t sure if their teasing was genuine or playful. Izaya clearly enjoyed winding the woman up and she seemed to have no problem dishing it back at him. Shizuo honestly couldn’t tell if they were enemies or best friends.

********

“Since when did you become the type to sleep with the enemy?” Namie asked.  
“I’ve had quite a traumatic week. I was in desperate need of some stress-relief,” Izaya shrugged. As long as he continued to act as blaze about the topic as possible, he knew Namie would lose interest. She didn’t really care about his sex life, Izaya knew that. But if she realised how much of a sore spot the topic actually was, she’d never let it go. He just had to bear with it for now.  
“I should’ve known, you always were a little too obsessed with him,” she said.  
“I wasn’t _obsessed_ ,” Izaya said defensively, fighting to will away the burn of his cheeks.  
“You don’t have to deny it. Love isn’t something to hide. I’ll never be ashamed of how I feel about my darling Seiji,” Namie claimed with a fond expression on her face.

“I already told you, this has nothing to do with love,” Izaya hissed.  
“I never took Heiwajima for the casual sex type. Are you sure he’s not in love with you?” she mused.  
Izaya couldn’t help laughing at the suggestion, the sound coming out more strangled than anything.  
“Shizu-chan could never love someone like me. I’m the human equivalent of everything he hates.”  
Namie scoffed but to Izaya’s relief she didn’t press the subject further.  
“Clearly his taste in men is astounding.”    
“Ah~ There’s no need to be jealous, Namie. You know I love all humans equally. Your special place in my heart is safe,” Izaya sneered at her and her lips twisted in disgust.  
“I see you’re as delusional as ever. Well I’m done wasting my precious time humouring you. Please refrain from contacting me again before my vacation is over,” Namie instructed him before heading for the door without a goodbye. Izaya was relieved to see her go, not appreciating the interrogation.

Shizuo returned not long afterwards, looking just as relieved to find that the woman was gone. Namie had done well in choosing the outfit, Izaya decided as he eyed the outfit in approval.  
“My, my, Shizu-chan, I almost didn’t recognise you. How does it feel to wear something other than a bartender uniform for once?” Izaya smirked.  
“I think they’re ridiculously overpriced but it’s your money so whatever,” Shizuo shrugged.  
“You’re right. It is my money and I happen to like it, so your opinion is invalid,” Izaya pointed out.  
Shizuo chuckled. “Then why’d you ask for it in the first place? You can’t sulk every time someone doesn’t agree with you.”  
“I’m not sulking. You just don’t appreciate good fashion,” Izaya sighed, shaking his head.  
“Says the one who’s wardrobe consists of only black,” Shizuo retaliated but he was smirking.

“Who said you could look in my closet? That’s an invasion of privacy, Shizu-chan,” Izaya scolded him.  
“I was making room for my stuff since clearly you weren’t going to. Which reminds me, I’m heading over to my place to grab a bag of clothes. Do you wanna come?” Shizuo offered.    
“I’ll pass, it’s still daylight outside,” Izaya declined. “But I do have some things I need you to pick up while you’re out.”  
He wrote down a few things Shizuo would find at his apartment, including the files on Yagiri Pharmaceuticals that Namie had given him and his portable hard drive. He hesitated for a moment and then added ‘lube and condoms’ to the bottom of the list. Last night had been proof enough that they’d be needing them soon enough and he’d rather be prepared than not.

He schooled his expression as he handed the list to Shizuo. He watched the blonde scan the list and could tell the exact moment he read the last two items because his eyes widened and he flushed.  
“Do you have any questions?” Izaya kept his voice level. “You’ll find the files on your kitchen counter beside my laptops.”  
Shizuo opened his mouth and then closed it again a few times like a fish before finally replying.  
“What size should I get?” Shizuo’s face was beet red and he didn’t need to elaborate what item he was referring to.  
“Don’t tell me Shizu-chan doesn’t know the size of his own penis?” Izaya snickered, giving up on being coy. Shizuo glared at him, frustration briefly eclipsing his embarrassment.  
“You don’t have to be a dick about it. We’ve never actually discussed this, you know? It’d be pretty arrogant of me to just assume I’d be topping,” Shizuo growled. Izaya’s eyes blew wide, never having thought for one moment that Shizuo would ever consider bottoming.  
“I didn’t think Shizu-chan would be willing otherwise,” Izaya admitted truthfully.

“I keep telling you I’m not some selfish asshole. Sex isn’t one-sided. It’s about what you want too,” Shizuo insisted, clearly uncomfortable but determined to talk this through. Izaya didn’t know what to say, too blindsided by Shizuo’s honesty. It took him a minute to compose himself before he replied.  
“I’m definitely not opposed to either option,” Izaya confessed. “But for now just get your size.”  
Izaya could feel his own cheeks burning and he tried his best not to look away from Shizuo’s gaze.  
“Alright. I’ll be back in a few hours then,” Shizuo nodded and turned to leave, looking eager to leave the awkward situation behind. Izaya’s eyes caught something on the blonde’s neck as he turned and he quickly reached out a hand to stop him. Shizuo looked at him quizzically and his eyes widened as Izaya suddenly stepped into his personal space to reach for his neck.    
“Wouldn’t want people seeing these, now would we? Rumours are easily spread, after all,” Izaya explained, carefully fastening the top button close around Shizuo’s throat.

Once the hickeys were properly concealed he hesitated, his hands still clasped in Shizuo’s collar. Without thinking about the action too hard, he pulled himself up onto the tips of his toes and gently tugged down at Shizuo’s collar. The blonde followed willingly and Izaya allowed his eyes to slip closed as their lips met halfway. The kiss was chaste, just the gentle press of lips before Izaya forced himself to pull away. Shizuo looked surprised but he didn’t look like he minded the sudden kiss. Izaya unclenched his fingers from Shizuo’s collar and took a step back to put distance between them.  
“Well you’d better get going, don’t forget to bring those files. They’re important,” Izaya cleared his throat and marched towards his desk without looking back. He stared at his monitor and feigned concentration until he heard the door click closed and allowed himself to relax.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I can’t believe this fic is over 100,000 words! I had no idea it would get this out of hand. I hope some of you are still along for the ride xD

Shizuo returned not long after sunset, finding Izaya’s desk empty with no sign of the flea.  
“I’m back,” Shizuo called out to the seemingly empty apartment.  
“Ah perfect timing, Shizu-chan.” Izaya appeared at the top of the stairs. He was wearing an expensive-looking dark grey suit with a light pink tie. His formal attire took Shizuo by surprise and he couldn’t help staring as Izaya made his way down the stairs.  
“Hurry up and put your clothes away, we’re going out,” Izaya informed him, holding out his hand for the plastic bag around Shizuo’s wrist. Shizuo obediently handed it over to the flea and Izaya began rifling through its contents. He was pretty sure that everything Izaya had asked for was in there. It hadn’t been hard to find all the items on his list, despite the mess he’d left on Shizuo’s kitchen bench. Izaya pulled the files and his portable hard drive out of the bag and transferred them to a black leather satchel waiting open on his desk.  
“Where are we going?” Shizuo asked him, not pleased with the idea of going out again so soon.

“It’s nothing shady, Shizu-chan. Well, it isn’t exactly legal either. But trust me, it’s for a good cause,” Izaya waved off his concern. Shizuo didn’t like the sound of that but he supposed he’d at least hear the flea out. Izaya handed back the almost-empty plastic bag before Shizuo headed upstairs. All that was left inside the bag were the condoms and lube. Buying them hadn’t been as embarrassing as he’d imagined. The cashier didn’t miss a beat as she scanned the items. He slipped them into the top drawer of Izaya’s bedside table before putting his clothes away. It didn’t take him long since he’d only brought four suits. He thought that would be plenty, considering Izaya was bound to have a laundry room behind one of these doors. When he came back downstairs, Izaya was waiting by the front door for him with the black satchel slung over his shoulder. As soon as he caught sight of the blonde he headed out the door, clearly expecting the blonde to follow.

Shizuo sighed heavily, praying that Izaya wasn’t getting him involved in some Yakuza bullshit, before reluctantly trailing behind the informant. They decided to take the train to Ikebukuro instead of walking since Izaya claimed to be in a hurry. None of the other passengers stared at them or seemed to recognise them and Shizuo realised it must be because they were both wearing different clothes than usual. Shizuo was grateful for this, knowing it would be troublesome if the citizens of Ikebukuro saw the former enemies together.    
“So where are we going?” Shizuo repeated as they took their seats.    
“Do you remember the Caucasian couple we visited on Monday?” Izaya replied.  
“You mean the ones who _shot_ you. Yeah I remember,” Shizuo growled in anger at the reminder.  
“Well their daughter has recently come into the custody of an orphanage in Ikebukuro as both her parents have been sentenced to several years in prison,” Izaya informed him.  
“What’s that got to do with us? Isn’t she better off there? Her parents seemed like pretty shitty people,” Shizuo frowned, not sure where Izaya was going with this.  
“I promised to take care of her. I can’t let her grow up in the foster system,” Izaya insisted. Shizuo was pleasantly surprised by Izaya’s determination to help this girl.

“Well what are you gonna do about it? It’s not like you can just adopt her,” Shizuo said.  
“That’s exactly what I plan to do,” Izaya replied instantly.  
“What?” Shizuo gaped at him. He hadn’t expected that at all. Izaya couldn’t be serious.  
“ _We_ are going to adopt her, to be precise,” Izaya added.  
“ _What?”_ Shizuo repeated, louder this time. Izaya couldn’t just decide something like this without talking to him first. He wasn’t ready to be a father. He’d already resigned himself to the fact that he’d never have kids.  
“Earlier this year, Osaka became the first city in Japan to certify a same sex couple as foster parents. Thanks to them, two men can now foster a child in Tokyo. We’re going to pose as a couple in order to gain custody of Grace,” Izaya continued as if Shizuo hadn’t spoken.  
“No one’s going to believe we’re a couple,” Shizuo scoffed. For a moment he thought he saw hurt flicker in Izaya’s eyes but it was gone so quickly he thought he must’ve imagined it.  
“Everyone in Ikebukuro still thinks we want to murder each other,” Shizuo elaborated just in case.

“We’re not going to be using our real names obviously. I already have aliases prepared. I’ll be posing as Nakura Saito and you will be Makoto Nakamura,” Izaya informed him.  
“We can’t lie to an orphanage, Izaya. That’s illegal, not to mention _immoral_ ,” Shizuo hissed, lowering his voice so the other passengers didn’t hear him.  
“Would you prefer to let Grace rot in the system her whole life? That girl isn’t human, Shizu-chan. She’s not going to last with normal human parents. She needs to grow up with people who understand her,” Izaya whispered back.  
“What do you mean she’s not human? How do you know?” Shizuo asked.  
“She’s shown signs of clairvoyance. I’m not sure if other abilities will manifest as she grows older, but it’s clear she won’t be able to live a normal human life without correct guidance,” Izaya told him.

Shizuo grimaced at the thought of the little girl suffering like he had growing up. He knew what it was like to be ostracised for something he couldn’t control. But that was exactly why he couldn’t agree to this.    
“Izaya, I can’t raise a child. It’s too dangerous. She’ll get hurt,” Shizuo insisted. Izaya’s eyes softened and he gently patted Shizuo’s arm.  
“Shizu-chan, you have more self-control than you realise. I think you’d be an excellent father,” Izaya told him, sounding uncharacteristically sincere. Shizuo’s chest warmed at the genuine compliment but he couldn’t bring himself to believe the kind words. He’d already hurt too many people that he cared about. He couldn’t put anyone else in danger. As much as he wanted Izaya’s words to be true, Shizuo knew how destructive he truly was.

Izaya would be better off raising her alone. Although he supposed that was impossible, considering he’d die if he left him for more than a day. Fuck, this was all moving way too fast. They weren’t even a real couple. Raising a child wasn’t something he’d ever thought he’d do, let alone with _Izaya._ Although, the flea would probably be pretty good at it since he’d almost single-handedly raised his sisters. Suddenly his mind conjured up the image of Izaya in the kitchen, patiently teaching the little girl to cook like he had earlier. For a brief moment Shizuo couldn’t help thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, after all.  
“Come on, Shizu-chan, we’re here,” Izaya announced, standing up from his seat. Shizuo numbly followed, still worrying about the now-uncertain future.

Izaya led him down several unfamiliar roads before finally stopping outside a quaint-looking building. The sign outside proclaimed in a cutesy font, ‘Ikebukuro’s Children’s Home’.  
“Let me do all the talking, you just stand there and look pretty,” Izaya instructed him.  
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Shizuo said warily.  
“Nonsense, it’s a great idea. Trust me, Shizu-chan,” Izaya assured him.

“Whatever, let’s just get this over with then,” Shizuo sighed. Izaya perked up, looking pleased.  
“Great! Then let’s go, darling~” Izaya purred, suddenly grabbing Shizuo’s hand. Shizuo grimaced at the term of endearment, attempting to pull his hand away.  
“What are you doing? Let go,” Shizuo snapped, although he didn’t particularly mind the contact. It was kind of nice if he was being honest. But they were in public, for god’s sakes. What if someone recognised them? It was bad enough that Izaya’s secretary knew they were fucking.

“Now, now, Shizu-chan. Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend? We’re supposed to be a couple, remember?” Izaya smirked up at him. Shizuo wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. He threw caution to the window and did just that, leaning down to lock lips with the flea. Izaya’s eyes widened and he froze in surprise underneath him. Shizuo pulled away before Izaya could react, a smirk of his own tugging at his lips as he saw the blush covering Izaya’s face. That was payback for springing that kiss on him earlier, Shizuo decided as his mind flickered back to the surprisingly tender farewell kiss.  
“Of course, _sweetheart_. Lead the way,” Shizuo purred the words beside Izaya’s ear, lacing their fingers together. To his satisfaction, Izaya’s breath hitched and his fingers clenched subconsciously. Well if Izaya wanted to play at being a couple, Shizuo decided he might as well enjoy it.

Izaya took a few moments to compose himself before tugging Shizuo’s hand to lead them inside. A middle aged woman was sitting behind a front desk, looking surprised to see them as they walked in. She snapped to her feet and rushed to meet them.  
“Oh! I wasn’t expecting anyone. We’re actually just about to close for the night,” she said apologetically. Izaya grinned charmingly at her and bowed politely in greeting.  
“Hello, my name is Nakura Saito. I believe we spoke earlier on the phone?” Izaya greeted her.

“Oh yes, of course! As I told you earlier, my name is Misaki Yamamoto. It’s nice to meet you in person,” she replied eagerly, bowing graciously back.    
“I’m terribly sorry for arriving so late. I got caught up at work. Ever since my co-worker was arrested we’ve had to work overtime to pick up the extra workload. I’m fairly certain I told you about my situation on the phone. I believe you recently came into custody of his daughter, Grace?” Izaya phrased it like a question but Shizuo was sure Izaya already knew the answer.  
“Oh yes! She came to us just yesterday. Poor girl has been through something awful. There’s no excuse for mistreating a child. I hope they get what they deserve,” Misaki shook her head solemnly.  
“Yes, I was truly shocked to hear about their mistreatment of their daughter. I’ve met Grace a few times and she seemed like a lovely girl. Mako-chan and I have been discussing adopting a child for quite some time now. So when I heard about what had happened to her, I thought it must be fate. I couldn’t bear the thought of her growing up in the system. I believe every child deserves a loving family,” Izaya told her firmly.

“Oh is this your partner then? It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” she greeted Shizuo with a bow.  
“Yes, this is my boyfriend Makoto Nakamura. You’ll have to excuse him, he’s quite shy,” Izaya introduced him to Shizuo’s relief as he’d already forgotten his fake name. Shizuo nodded in greeting but stayed silent as Izaya had asked. The woman nodded respectfully back at him.  
“I was very pleased to hear from you. Believe it or not, you’ll be the first same sex couple to adopt from our establishment. I’ve always believed the restrictions were unfair, so I was delighted when I heard the law had changed. A child just needs a loving family. What does it matter if that family has two fathers?” Misaki chattered excitedly. Izaya’s grin softened to a more genuine smile as he listened to the woman’s enthusiastic rambling.

“Thank you, Miss Yamamoto. We really appreciate your support. I was hoping we could take Grace home with us tonight. I know it’s terribly sudden, but I believe it’s in her best interest,” Izaya said.  
Misaki’s smile fell and she suddenly looked uncertain.  
“I’m sorry, but the adoption process is typically fairly slow. It’ll be a few weeks before you can actually take her home. There’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be done and background checks to make sure you’re suitable parents. No offence meant, of course. It’s just procedure,” she explained.  
“Of course. I’ve brought the necessary paperwork with me and all the background information you may need on both of us,” Izaya informed her, pulling out a bunch of forms and official looking documents from his satchel. Shizuo caught sight of a birth certificate with his false name on it and couldn’t help being impressed at how real it looked. He was surprised that Izaya managed to get his hands on forged legal documents on such short notice. The flea really was an evil genius.

Misaki looked over the documents carefully, a frown still creasing her brows as she flipped through the paperwork.  
“Well everything seems to be in order. But I’ll still need to submit the paperwork and wait for the proper authorizations before I can hand over custody of the child,” she insisted.  
“I completely understand, Miss Yamamoto. But are you sure there isn’t anything you could do to speed up the process? Grace has only just arrived to this establishment, you said so yourself. It wouldn’t be presumptuous of me to assume her paperwork hasn’t been filed yet, correct? I doubt anyone would notice if her file simply went _missing_. Mistakes happen all the time, after all,” Izaya’s voice was as smooth as honey as he subtly handed her a thick envelope. Her eyes went wide as she opened it to find a large stack of bills inside.

She glanced uncertainly between the money and Izaya for a long time before pressing her lips together firmly.  
“I appreciate your offer. But I can’t just hand over a child to two men I just met. How am I supposed to trust that she’ll be safe in your hands?” she demanded. Izaya was starting to look slightly frustrated and Shizuo decided he should probably say something.  
“Miss Yamamoto, I know we must look pretty suspicious but you have to believe me when I say you can trust us. I would never let anything bad happen to a child and neither would my partner,” Shizuo assured her, forgetting what Izaya had said his name was.

Misaki studied them both carefully for a long time before replying.  
“I want you to swear to me that she’ll be looked after. I’m not going to give her to you without knowing for sure that she’ll be safe,” Misaki demanded, her voice the most firm he’d heard it since they’d walked in. Shizuo wanted to assure her the girl would be fine but there was still a part of him that doubted her safety in his care.  
“I promise you, she’s going to a good home. You have my word,” Izaya said sincerely. Misaki sighed heavily, pulling out a set of keys from her back pocket.  
“I better not regret trusting you,” she warned before waving them towards a door to the left. “Come on, I’ll take you to her room.”

********

Admittedly Izaya had been a little self-indulgent when he’d come up with this plan. It was Namie’s fault for giving him the idea. She was the one who’d insisted they looked like a couple. Izaya was merely taking advantage of an opportunity when he saw one. He supposed he could’ve gone alone, but foster homes were far more likely to grant custody to two parents rather than a single parent. There was always the chance that Shizuo would refuse. He’d half-expected him to honestly. But if it meant he’d get to experience what it’d be like if his feelings were returned for a little while, well that was worth the risk. Shizuo had been surprisingly cooperative with the plan. He hadn’t even been disgusted when Izaya suggested they pretend to be a couple. Izaya tried to ignore the slight hope that swelled in his chest at the thought.

Grace had recognised him instantly, calling a delighted ‘Kitty!’ before running into his outstretched arms. The little girl’s response seemed to ease Misaki’s concerns greatly and the woman looked a lot more confident in her decision after that. Izaya was grateful for her help, not that he wouldn’t have returned to take the child without permission later if all hadn’t gone well. But this way was much easier. He peaked at the blonde beside him. Their hands were still linked, despite the fact that they’d left the orphanage almost half an hour ago. Izaya wasn’t going to be the one to let go, after all. He’d enjoy it for however long it lasted, considering it was likely the last time they’d ever do so. Grace sat contently on Shizuo’s shoulders, her tiny hands playing with his golden locks. The sight almost made him wish they were adopting the girl for real.  

They walked leisurely back to Shinjuku, neither of them in any real rush to go home. Izaya took the next turn and Shizuo paused, looking at him confused.  
“Where are you going? Your apartment is the other way,” he reminded him. Izaya smirked. He supposed he’d teased Shizuo long enough.  
“I know that Shizu-chan. But we should really drop Grace off at the Arisuin mansion first,” Izaya rolled his eyes as if Shizuo should’ve known this was the plan all along. A myriad of emotions flickered across Shizuo’s face before it settled on anger. For a moment, Izaya thought he’d seen disappointment but that couldn’t be right. If anything, Shizuo would be relieved.  
“You made me think we were actually adopting a kid. You should’ve told me the real plan. I was freaking out for no reason,” Shizuo huffed, clearly keeping his voice level so as not to scare Grace.  
“But your reaction was priceless, Shizu-chan. Did you honestly think I’d make you adopt a child without consulting you first?” Izaya cackled.

Shizuo let go of Izaya’s hand and he tried not to look as disappointed with the action as he felt.  
“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Shizuo growled, stomping in the direction of Arisuin mansion. Izaya hurried to keep up with him, plastering a smirk across his face.  
“I know, I know~ But Shizu-chan really _should_ forgive me. I did just commit a good deed, after all,” Izaya reminded him.  
“Even your good deeds are shady,” Shizuo scoffed but his anger seemed to lessen.    
“You really think she’ll be okay there? Those other kids aren’t human. What if they try to bite her or something?” Shizuo murmured, his hands around Grace’s ankles tightening just slightly.  
“I’ve thought this through, Shizu-chan,” Izaya reassured him. “I’ve already spoken with Lily and he said the other children don’t attack humans. They’re fed regularly and have never shown signs of aggressive behaviour before. Besides, Grace isn’t human either. It would be better for her to grow up with children who are similarly different. I truly think it’s the best place for her.”

Shizuo hummed noncommittally in response but didn’t argue the point further. Shizuo’s concern was understandable but Izaya was sure that he’d made the right choice. This was the right place for her. He’d thought about it all day and it was the best solution. She’d be happy there and have a lot of friends who’d accept her for who she was. Lily had assured him that they had the best education money could buy. She’d be spoiled there, just as she deserved. Despite knowing this, he still felt a little sad saying goodbye.  
“Let me carry her for a while,” Izaya demanded, holding his arms out expectantly. Shizuo hesitated before handing her over. Izaya supported the girl on his right hip and she clung to his suit jacket like a koala. He playfully bounced her on his hip a few times and she giggled happily. Izaya smiled gently back at her before turning back to the path ahead.

It didn’t take them long to get to the mansion. Lily greeted them at the door when they arrived. Once they were in the living room, Izaya placed Grace down on a nearby couch.  
“Hello little one, welcome to the family,” Lily cooed at Grace who babbled back indecipherably.     
Lawless and Old Child were already there, seated around a table in deep discussion. Their eves were there too, but they didn’t seem all that interested in talking to one another. Licht scrolled idly through his phone, appearing disinterested in their arrival. However the blonde boy beside him, who appeared to be doing his homework, looked up at them curiously as they walked in. Izaya couldn’t help staring at the boy who was undoubtedly the Testu Old Child had mentioned the other day. He was the spitting image of Shizu-chan, except he had two blue hair pins on either side of his head that did little to keep his hair out of his face. He wore a dark blue sleeveless shirt to match his hair clips with a similarly sleeveless white jacket over the top. The boy looked just as lanky as Shizuo, maybe even a little bit taller if that was possible.

The two blondes stared at one another from across the room. Tetsu looked wide-eyed and curious, while Shizuo just looked incredibly uncomfortable.  
“I thought you said you were a virgin, Shizu-chan,” Izaya suddenly accused him. Shizuo’s head whipped around to gawk at him with raised eyebrows.  
“Oh is that so? How adorable, would you like me to fix that?” Lily chuckled, winking at Shizuo. Izaya held back the urge to growl a warning at the other servamp.  
“No, no, I really wouldn’t,” Shizuo grimaced at the proposition, hastily shaking his head and holding his hands out defensively before turning to glare at Izaya.  
“Why the fuck are you bringing that up all of a sudden?” Shizuo hissed, his cheeks flushing red as he glanced self-consciously around the room.  
“Because clearly Shizu-chan has a secret love child he didn’t know about. Just look at him, the boy looks just like you,” Izaya accused him, pointing at Tetsu with an incredulous look. He was only half-joking, a tiny part of himself fearing he’d hit the nail on the head.  
“Are you kidding me, Izaya? Oi kid, how old are you?” Shizuo demanded.  
“I’m fourteen,” the boy replied, not as intimidated as people usually are when Shizuo yells at them.  
“See Izaya, do you seriously think I was off having sex at eleven years old?” Shizuo scoffed.  

Just as Izaya was about to make a snarky remark, his words turned into a strangled cry as a noose wrapped itself around his neck. He was forcibly dragged backwards, the tight rope around his throat cutting off his airways instantly. Izaya clawed desperately at the steel-like vice but even his vampiric strength couldn’t loosen the hold. He couldn’t be more grateful that he no longer needed to breath as he watched the floor disappear from underneath his feet in horror. In a matter of moments Izaya found himself strung up, dangling several feet in the air by his neck.

“Well, well, Abel, shall we see how trustworthy our new ally is?” An unfamiliar voice spoke up from the doorway but Izaya couldn’t turn around to see who the voice belonged to. Shizuo stared up at Izaya, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, before he turned to the culprit with a murderous glare. Shizuo automatically reached out, presumably for the nearest impromptu weapon, and his hammer rapidly manifested in his outstretched hand.  
“Who the fuck is this bastard?” Shizuo hissed furiously.  
“Ah, how rude of me~ I should introduce myself. My name is Mikuni Arisuin, a poor antique dealer whose hobby is to travel the world. This guy here is the servamp of envy, ‘Doubt Doubt’. But you can just call him Jeje. I’m his eve. Nice to meet ya!” Mikuni’s voice sounded overly cheerful despite his violent actions towards him. Izaya couldn’t even speak, left helpless in the grip of the noose.

“Nice to meet you, my ass. Let Izaya go right now!” Shizuo radiated hostility.  
“Ah but I can’t do that. Abel has to decide if our new friend is a good person or not,” Mikuni replied.  
“That’s just a fucking doll. How the hell is it going to decide anything?” Shizuo snapped. Izaya couldn’t see the doll that Shizuo was referring to, but the fact that this man was apparently putting his life in the hands of an inanimate object didn’t exactly inspire confidence.  
“Don’t you dare talk about my darling Abel with such filthy language!” Mikuni whined.  
Shizuo looked back at the other servamps angrily. “Are you seriously just going to sit there while this lunatic is trying to kill Izaya?”  
“Oh don’t worry. Mikuni’s lead can’t kill servamps. You should just let him do it. I’m curious to see the results myself actually,” Lawless shrugged. Old Child and Lily nodded in agreement.  
“You see, these scales are my lead. It’s called ‘My Fair Lady’. The lovely Abel will become as heavy as the sins of the person on the other end of this rope. Now then Abel, I beg a merciful judgement!”


	25. Chapter 25

Shizuo felt his stomach drop in sync with the doll plummeting to the floor. The rope pulled impossibly tight around Izaya’s throat. It wrenched him upwards. Lily hastily covered Grace’s eyes and carried her out of the room. Izaya’s head collided with the marble ceiling. A sickening crack echoed throughout the room as his skull caved upon impact. Thick, red gore decorated the white surface. Izaya went limp, blood gushing down to coat his face and neck in red.

“Izaya!” Shizuo screamed, his blood running cold. He stared in horror at the corpse swinging above him.  
“Well that’s unfortunate. I had hoped our new ally would be a little more trustworthy. What a shame,” Mikuni sighed, shaking his head. Shizuo was going to murder this bastard.

But he couldn’t leave Izaya’s body like that. He needed to get him down first. As if in response to the thought, his hammer began to glow a bright blue. The head of the weapon changed shape, shifting into a curved blade until Shizuo found himself holding a large scythe in its place. He didn’t waste time marvelling at the transformation. He sliced the rope. The noose dispersed into black smoke as soon as the cord was severed. Izaya came crashing to the ground. Shizuo dove towards him, dropping the scythe to catch the informant. Izaya was rigid and icy cold in his arms. The dark purple bruising on his neck was striking against his pale skin.  
“Izaya? Izaya! Wake up. I’m the only one who’s allowed to kill you, remember? You can’t let these assholes kill you so easily. Come on, don’t do this. Please,” Shizuo’s voice shook. Izaya remained unresponsive and Shizuo fought off the threat of tears, determined not to cry in front of these bastards. Izaya’s brain was visible, the pale grey mass collapsed in on itself from the impact. Shizuo knew there was no way he could still be alive like this.  
“Hey! You almost cut poor Abel’s head off, you monster!” Mikuni cried, scooping the doll up into his arms, “Are you okay, darling? Did the bad man hurt you?”  
“I’m gonna make you watch while I tear that doll’s head off and then I’m gonna kill you, you fucking lunatic,” Shizuo growled in fury.

“Calm down, Shizuo. Mikuni doesn’t take kindly to threats against Abel,” Lawless warned.  
“Calm down? I’m gonna kill you next bastard! You said it wouldn’t kill him,” Shizuo accused.  
“It didn’t,” Lawless defended, “He’s a servamp. His wounds will heal. Give him time.”  
“No, he’s _dead_! It doesn’t matter if he’ll heal! He died and he _felt it!_ How the fuck would you like it if I killed you right now? It’s fine cause you’d heal, right?” Shizuo snapped.  
“His wounds are his own fault. My lead is just and fair. It only punishes those who deserve it,” Mikuni insisted, looking unconcerned. Shizuo turned to scowl at the eve menacingly.  
“Who the fuck are you to make that call? It’s not up to you or some creepy doll to decide if he’s a good person or not. He may have done a lot of awful things in his life. I’m not going to deny that. I know better than anyone else what a piece of shit this guy was. But he’s different now. Izaya’s done nothing but good since he was turned. He saved that little girl from an abusive home and he’s been helping you find your brother without asking for anything in return. Yet how do you repay him? You fucking hang him! I don’t believe for one second that any of you are less guilty than Izaya. You’re vampires who’ve lived god knows how long. Don’t try to tell me you bastards haven’t done shit you regret. At least Izaya’s never murdered anyone!” Shizuo was shaking with rage at this point.

Shizuo wasn’t sure when his opinion of Izaya had changed so drastically, but everything he said was the truth. Izaya had changed since this servamp mess began, whether it was intentional or not. He wasn’t the flea Shizuo used to despise anymore. He’d come to truly care about Izaya. He hadn’t been this protective of anyone since his brother. Before Shizuo could fully consider what this meant, his attention was drawn back to Izaya. The vampire twitched to life in his arms, his eyes snapped open and he gasped for breath. The desperate breaths quickly devolved into coughing as he clutched at his throat. The dark bruises gradually faded and the gasping died down, but Izaya continued to tremble in his arms. Shizuo held him close to his chest, gently stroking his blood-soaked hair in an attempt to comfort him.  
“Izaya? Izaya. Shhh. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you,” Shizuo shushed him softly. Izaya’s hands clung to his shirt and tears welled up in his eyes, leaving white trails down his red-stained cheeks. Shizuo pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tenderly wiped the tears and blood away from Izaya’s face. The blood had dried partially, so it wouldn’t come away completely, but Shizuo did his best to remove as much as he could. He gently inspected the head wound to make sure it was fully healed, but the gory mess remained in Izaya’s hair.

Izaya continued to shake and Shizuo decided killing these bastards wasn’t worth it. He needed to get Izaya somewhere safe so he could calm down. He hooked Izaya’s arms around his neck to steady him and the vampire instantly buried his face in his neck.    
“We’re leaving,” Shizuo announced firmly. He reached towards his weapon and it flashed back to its tattoo form.  
“You can’t leave, we’ve still got a lot of planning to do,” Lawless insisted.  
“You can’t just go around hanging people and expect them to still help you afterwards! I was only going along with this shit because it’s what Izaya wanted, but enough is enough. You can all go fuck yourselves.”  
“Shizu-chan–” Izaya’s gravelly voice protested.  
“Shut up, I’ve made up my mind. These people crossed the line.”

********

Izaya couldn’t stop reliving the moment his skull struck the roof. The pain had barely registered before his consciousness vanished, his life extinguished as easily as a candle in the wind. Izaya knew what passing out was supposed to feel like. He could clearly remember the experience after being stabbed in the street. But this had been different. There was no gradual fading of his senses, no dreams to fill his mind or vague-sense of pain bleeding into his awareness. This had just been an all-consuming nothingness, a complete absence of being. Izaya had simply ceased to exist until the moment he awoke in Shizu-chan’s arms. It was everything he’d always feared death would be; a confirmation of his fears in the worst possible way. He never wanted to experience it again. Could he even describe it as an experience? More accurately it was the lack of experience that had terrified him most. Izaya clung tighter to Shizuo’s warm embrace, clenching his eyes shut and letting the man’s steady heartbeat ground him. Shizuo was so undoubtedly alive in ways that Izaya was not. But the fact that Izaya could still feel, hear and think these things were proof enough that he wasn’t dead either. He hadn’t fully appreciated the difference until now. Izaya may not technically be alive anymore, but he was far from dead. He wouldn’t take that for granted again.  

Shizuo carefully rifled through Izaya’s pockets and Izaya realised they’d arrived at his apartment. It only felt like moments ago that Shizuo had stormed out of the Arisuin mansion. He shifted his hold on Izaya to his left arm, supporting his weight effortlessly as he unlocked the front door. Izaya began to worry that Shizuo would let him go now that they were home. He wasn’t willing to lose the contact just yet, considering it was the only thing grounding him to reality. Izaya clutched tighter to Shizuo unconsciously.  
“Do you want me to put you down?”  
Shizuo knew there was nothing physically wrong with Izaya’s legs, but he was giving him the chance to refuse. Izaya’s pride wasn’t enough to convince him not to take the offer.  
“I’d prefer if we stayed like this. Just for a little longer,” Izaya’s voice was quiet and unsure. Shizuo had every right to refuse him. But Shizuo just nodded, pulling Izaya further into his embrace and rubbing his back comfortingly. Izaya wondered if it was possible to love Shizuo any more than he did in that moment.

Shizuo moved towards the couch but paused halfway.  
“We should get you cleaned up first. I’ll never hear the end of it if we get blood on your fancy furniture,” Shizuo chuckled fondly, turning to carry him upstairs to the bathroom. He sat Izaya down on the edge of the bathtub and carefully unhooked his arms from around his neck. He watched Shizuo fiddle with the taps until he was satisfied with the temperature. As the bath was filling, Shizuo turned back to Izaya and gently began undressing him. The blood had dried on his suit jacket and he watched flakes of blood flutter to the tiles as Shizuo slipped it off his shoulders. When he was naked Izaya wondered if he should feel embarrassed, but all he could feel was gratitude. Shizuo didn’t need to go this far. It wasn’t his job to take care of him. But Shizuo seemed to understand that Izaya couldn’t be alone right now. He’d always been better than anyone else at reading him. This had often infuriated Izaya in the past, considering Shizuo’s thoughts had always been a mystery to him. But right now he was just glad he didn’t have to explain himself.

The water was startlingly hot against his icy skin, but Izaya appreciated the heat as it drove the chill from his body.  
“Close your eyes,” Shizuo instructed him, holding up the detachable shower head in explanation. Izaya did as he was told, holding his breath as Shizuo thoroughly washed the gore from his hair and face. When the water finally stopped, Izaya opened his eyes to find the bathwater pink. If the blood that had coated him was only enough to turn the water pink, he wondered how much blood it would take to turn the water red. There were chunks of gore floating around him and Izaya also wondered if any of them were pieces of his brain. His thoughts were interrupted by Shizuo massaging shampoo into his hair. Izaya allowed his eyes to slip closed again and tried to focus on the sensation instead of the tainted bathwater. He marvelled at how gentle Shizuo was being. Surely it was taking all his concentration not to be too rough. He needed to repay Shizuo’s kindness later. Maybe he’d cook him something delicious for breakfast tomorrow. He let his mind wander over possible dishes as Shizuo finished washing his hair.

“Are you ready to get out?” Shizuo asked him eventually and Izaya nodded. He wrapped Izaya up in a soft, clean towel before grabbing another one for his hair. Izaya dried his body while Shizuo rubbed his hair dry.  
“I’ll go get you some pyjamas.” Shizuo turned to leave but Izaya frantically grabbed his sleeve.  
“No. Don’t,” Izaya insisted, encouraging Shizuo back towards him. Shizuo looked confused but went along with Izaya’s pulling until he was facing the informant. Izaya let the towel drop behind him as he reached for Shizuo’s collar. He wasn’t tall enough to close the distance between them himself without Shizuo’s assistance, so he tugged at his collar but the blonde stayed frustratingly still.  
“Izaya–” Shizuo began cautiously but Izaya cut him off.  
“Kiss me, Shizu-chan,” Izaya demanded. Shizuo grimaced and shook his head.  
“You’ve just been through something traumatic. I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Shizuo insisted.  
“Shizuo,” Izaya’s voice was firm and Shizuo looked taken aback at hearing his full name. “Tonight made me realise that either of us could die at any moment. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to die a virgin. So do us both a favour. Shut up and take me to bed.”

********

“Are you sure about this? You’re not gonna change your mind and come at me with a knife in the middle of things, are you?” Shizuo studied Izaya’s face for any signs of uncertainty. He wanted this just as badly as Izaya seemed to, but he couldn’t help worrying about Izaya’s mental state. He’d been killed less than two hours ago. You didn’t just shrug something like that off. But the determination in Izaya’s eyes hadn’t wavered once since he’d carried him to the bedroom.  
“Shizu-chan, if you ask me that one more time I really am going to stab you,” Izaya complained, pulling Shizuo down for another deep kiss. Izaya tangled his fingers into Shizuo’s hair. His grip was painfully tight, clearly worried Shizuo would pull away again. Shizuo let himself melt into the kiss, satisfied that he’d given Izaya every opportunity to change his mind. He pressed his body as close to Izaya as he dared, careful to lean most of his weight on his forearms beside Izaya’s head. It didn’t matter how durable Izaya was now, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d break him if he wasn’t careful. Izaya clearly didn’t share the sentiment, wrapping his legs around Shizuo’s waist to force him closer. Shizuo groaned as his clothed erection ground against Izaya’s exposed cock. He felt overdressed in comparison.

Izaya tugged impatiently at Shizuo’s clothing, clearly thinking the same thing. He pulled away from their kiss to slip his shirt over his head. Shizuo stepped off the bed, hastily shedding his jeans and boxers as well. When he returned, Izaya trailed his hands over Shizuo’s bare chest. He caressed every scar, barring the latest wound, paying close attention to the large scar decorating his torso.  
“Admiring your handiwork?” Shizuo said playfully.  
“Hmm, I was just thinking it’s awfully faded. Maybe it needs refreshing. How else will people know who you belong to?” Izaya smirked up at him.  
“I don’t remember agreeing to being yours,” Shizuo scoffed.  
“Of course you do, Shizu-chan. You’ve been mine since the day we first met. My enemy, my monster, _my_ _beast_ ,” Izaya purred, trailing his index finger along the scar possessively.  
“Is that so? Does that make you mine then? _My_ _flea_ ,” Shizuo chuckled, trailing kisses down his neck.  
“Naturally,” Izaya replied, tipping his neck to the side in encouragement. Shizuo dipped his tongue into the crook of Izaya’s neck, relishing the way he shuddered.  

Overcome by a sudden urge, Shizuo bit down hard enough to draw blood. Izaya jerked in surprise, a groan of approval falling from his lips. Shizuo lapped at the blood gently but the wound didn’t bleed long, closing itself within moments. Shizuo couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed at how quickly the mark faded.  
“What was that for? Aren’t I the vampire here, Shizu-chan?”  
“That’s payback for all the times you’ve bitten me.”  
“Well that’s hardly fair. I only bite you cause it’s necessary. You just bit me cause you wanted to. Lucky for you, I happened to like it.”  
“Of course you did. I always knew you were a masochist.”  
“Is that why you were always so rough with me? I had no idea Shizu-chan was lusting after me for such a long time~”  
“I’m pretty sure it was _you_ begging _me_ to fuck you just now.”  
Shizuo emphasized his statement by wrapping his hand around Izaya’s leaking cock, drawing a surprised gasp from the other man.  

He lazily pumped his hand over Izaya’s length, watching as the vampire squirmed. The friction wasn’t nearly enough and Izaya bucked his hips in an attempt to gain more. Shizuo used his free hand to grab Izaya’s hip, stilling his movements.    
“Don’t be a tease, Shizu-chan. Go faster,” Izaya whined.  
“Hmm? But I thought you were a masochist?” Shizuo teased. Izaya scoffed.  
“Shizu-chan’s more of a sadist than I thought.”  
“Nah, I just like riling you up. It’s a nice change of pace.”  
“And when did Shizu-chan become so calm?”  
“I dunno. Maybe sex was the solution to my rage all along.”  
“Well if that’s the case, I believe Shizu-chan owes me a thank you for curing his anger issues.”  
“I guess you’re right. I’ll have to think of a way to repay you.”

Shizuo ducked down to take the head of Izaya’s cock into his mouth. It tasted just as bitter as it had last time but he refused to let the bad taste deter him. He licked the tip, the salty liquid coating his tongue. Izaya’s cock was as cold as the rest of his body. Shizuo nearly broke into laughter at the thought of his dick resembling a popsicle. Thankfully he didn’t, as his reaction would be pretty hard to explain to Izaya. Especially considering how uncharacteristically self-conscious Izaya was when it came to sex. He supposed it made sense now that he knew he was a virgin too. He’d always assumed Izaya had tons of experience with sex. He’d had a following of girls when they were in high school. Even guys had occasionally shown an interest in Izaya. Of course, Izaya had never shown an interest in his admirers, so maybe it wasn’t all that surprising that he had never slept with anyone. It made Shizuo wonder why Izaya had chosen him out of all people. Surely his worst enemy was the last person he’d want to be vulnerable with. Then again, Shizuo was doing the same thing.  

Shizuo relaxed his jaw, taking more of Izaya’s dick into his mouth with each bob of his head. He had no idea what he was doing, his only point of reference was from porn and he’d never really paid attention to the women’s technique while giving blowjobs. But he assumed he was doing okay, if Izaya’s moans were anything to go by. Izaya grabbed a fistful of the sheet for support, his whole body tensing in anticipation. Shizuo redoubled his efforts, knowing it wouldn’t be long now. A few moments later, Izaya’s thighs trembled under Shizuo’s palms and his toes curled as his orgasm hit him. Cold semen flooded Shizuo’s mouth and he pulled away reflexively, knowing he couldn’t bring himself to swallow the bitter liquid. He reached to stroke Izaya through his climax instead, spitting the liquid into his other hand and wiping it on the sheets. They’d be cleaned later anyway.

********

Izaya generously coated lube over his right hand, surprised to find it wasn’t as cold as the websites had warned. Although, that likely had more to do with his icy body temperature than deliberate misinformation. Still, he couldn’t help doubting his sources slightly as he slipped his dripping hand between his thighs. Izaya spread his legs wide, trying hard to ignore Shizuo’s intense gaze as he spread the slippery substance between his cheeks. He circled his index finger around his entrance for a few moments, trying to calm his nerves before he slipped his finger inside to the first knuckle. It felt odd, not bad exactly, but it didn’t feel pleasant either. Izaya tried pushing his finger in a little further but stopped when his muscles tightened in protest. He thought back on all those websites stressing to take things slow, a little frustrated that it was proving to be _this_ slow. Shizuo seemed to notice Izaya’s frustration, kissing the furrow between his brows. He continued trailing kisses along Izaya’s forehead to his temple and down to his neck before settling there. His hands caressed Izaya’s thighs soothingly as he littered his neck in love bites. Izaya welcomed the distraction, surprised to find himself relaxing under the attention.

Gradually Izaya worked himself up to two fingers but it still didn’t feel pleasurable. He’d gone soft a while ago. The angle was awkward and his wrist ached in protest. He hadn’t found any sign of his prostate either. Izaya was starting to fear that anal sex feeling good was an elaborate lie created by tops. Surely Shizuo was getting impatient by now, he hadn’t gotten off yet and Izaya was taking too long. Izaya tried to force another finger inside but couldn’t help hissing in pain at the intrusion. Shizuo froze, pulling away from Izaya’s neck to look at him in concern.  
“Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine.” Izaya gritted his teeth as he attempted to scissor his fingers.  
“You don’t look fine. If it hurts you should stop. We don’t have to go all the way tonight.”  
“No. I can do this. You just worry about staying hard. I’ll be done soon.”  
Shizuo frowned taking in the sight of Izaya’s tense posture and soft cock.  
“That’s enough. I’m not gonna let you hurt yourself any more. Let me try.”

Izaya watched wide-eyed as Shizuo poured lube over his right hand.  
“Get on your hands and knees and turn around,” Shizuo instructed him.  
“What am I, a dog?” Izaya scoffed.  
“We both know you’re a cat.” Shizuo rolled his eyes and Izaya couldn’t help his mouth dropping open in surprise at the dig. Izaya didn’t know if he was offended or impressed.  
“Just do it. I heard it’s easier this way,” Shizuo elaborated.  
“When did Shizu-chan become an expert on anal sex?” Izaya teased but moved into position.  
“I’m not an idiot. I did a bit of research after you propositioned me. I wasn’t going to go into this blind,” Shizuo explained, resting his left hand on the dip in Izaya’s back.  
“I’m impressed. Shizu-chan actually studied. How unlike him,” Izaya chuckled but it came out strained. He could feel his nerves building up again, embarrassed at the position and nervous to have Shizuo’s fingers inside him. Shizuo stroked Izaya’s back comfortingly, placing a kiss on his shoulder blade.

“You need to relax,” Shizuo’s voice was calm.  
“Easy for you to say,” Izaya huffed.    
“We can stop if you want,” Shizuo offered.  
“Just shut up and get on with it, Shizu-chan,” Izaya turned away to hide his blush. Shizuo’s lube-covered hand reached between his thighs and Izaya flinched in shock when he wrapped it around his cock instead.  
“What are you doing, Shizu-chan? I already got off. You’ll never get to fuck me at this rate,” Izaya groaned as his dick twitched back to attention. The lube made the handjob feel even better than earlier.  
“This isn’t just about me. This is about making sure it feels good for both of us. So stop complaining and let me make you feel good,” Shizuo replied. Izaya wanted to roll his eyes at Shizuo’s chivalry but was too distracted by the stimulation to do so. His hips rocked in time with Shizuo’s strokes, letting his head loll forward and his eyes slip closed.

Izaya choked in surprise, completely unprepared for the warm press of Shizuo’s tongue at his entrance. Out of all the things he’d imagined Shizuo being comfortable doing, this had never been one of them. Shizuo’s tongue slipped inside easily from the earlier preparation. The warm intrusion felt far better than his fingers had. Izaya couldn’t tell if it was the heat or the flexibility of the muscle that made such a difference. He didn’t know whether he wanted to thrust forward into Shizuo’s fist or backwards onto his tongue. His hips rocked back and forth urgently, trying to appease both urges. After a few minutes of this, Izaya could feel himself getting close again. He whined in protest when Shizuo suddenly pulled away from him. He heard the cap of lube snap open again and the squirt of lube spilling into Shizuo’s hand. Izaya could tell where this was going and tensed up in anticipation. Shizuo’s left hand rubbed his back soothingly again and Izaya tried to steady his breathing. He knew this would be much easier if he relaxed. He tried to push his doubts aside but his mind kept recalling his failed attempt.

Shizuo slowly pressed a finger inside and Izaya immediately noticed how much easier it was from this angle. Shizuo gradually worked his finger inside, despite the earlier preparation. He took his time stretching Izaya, almost maddeningly slow in Izaya’s opinion. The stretch still wasn’t pleasurable, but it wasn’t painful in the slightest. Having someone else’s fingers inside him was an entirely different experience. Shizuo’s fingers were noticeably longer than his and they managed to reach places that Izaya’s hadn’t. Muscles he’d never known about ached dully at the pressure. Despite the odd feeling, his erection hadn’t wilted like it had earlier. He could still feel it throbbing painfully from his stolen orgasm. His hands twitched with the urge to stroke himself to completion, but he forced himself to remain still. Shizuo was at three fingers now and Izaya was surprised to find it didn’t hurt like it had when he’d tried. Although it still didn’t feel go–  
“Ah!” Izaya gasped as Shizuo’s finger brushed against something inside him.  
“There?” Shizuo asked as he pressed against the spot more firmly. Izaya’s hips jerked forward and his cock twitched in response. He pressed his hips back urgently and Shizuo focused his efforts.  
“Yes! There, right there. Oh god, don’t stop,” Izaya moaned.

Shizuo abused Izaya’s prostate until his thighs shook and his cock was drenched in precome. Izaya felt like he was going mad. He needed to get off but it just wasn’t enough.  
“Fuck me, Shizu-chan. I’m ready, please,” Izaya begged. Shizuo’s breath hitched and Izaya felt his fingers freeze inside him.  
“Are you sure? What if it’s not enough,” Shizuo sounded unsure but his voice was rough with want.  
“It’s enough. I promise. Please, Shizu-chan, I need you,” Izaya groaned, his face buried in his forearm, having collapsed onto his elbows during Shizuo’s teasing. He hissed in surprise when strong arms suddenly wrapped around his waist and lifted him off the bed. He was flipped onto his back, the inside of his knees cradled in Shizuo’s palms as he settled himself between Izaya’s thighs. Somehow this position was even more embarrassing than the last.  
“If we’re going to fuck, I want to see your face while we do it,” Shizuo announced and Izaya felt his face and neck flush red at the statement. Shizuo smirked at the reaction, reaching up to cup Izaya’s cheek in his palm.  
“Yeah, this is much better.”

Shizuo reached for the box of condoms Izaya had thrown at him earlier. He attempted to open the condom wrapper with his hands but they proved too slippery. With a growl of frustration, Shizuo finally tore the packet open with his teeth. Izaya chuckled at him and Shizuo went red. He avoided his gaze, focusing his eyes on the task at hand. He carefully slipped the condom over his dick, coating the rubber generously in lubricant. Izaya watched in trepidation as Shizuo positioned himself at his entrance. He ran his hands along Izaya’s thighs comfortingly until their tense position soothed.  
“Relax. I’ll be gentle,” Shizuo promised and he bent down to kiss Izaya tenderly. Izaya melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Shizuo’s neck. His chest swelled with affection. He allowed himself to relax, trusting Shizuo completely. Shizuo held his cock steady as he slowly pressed the head inside Izaya’s slick entrance. It was thicker than three fingers had been, but Izaya felt no pain when it pushed inside. Shizuo froze, allowing Izaya to get used to the intrusion before gradually inching his way forward. Shizuo’s thighs shook with the effort of not thrusting forward and Izaya couldn’t believe Shizuo’s patience.

When Shizuo was finally buried to the hilt inside him, he stopped again to let Izaya adjust. Izaya could only describe what he felt as ‘full’. It was a strange feeling but he didn’t dislike it. Shizuo’s cock was impossibly hot inside him, warming his insides with it. He wanted more.  
“You can move now,” Izaya told him. Shizuo studied his face for any sign of pain before he nodded. He deliberately drew back a few inches and Izaya was surprised at the emptiness he felt in its absence. Shizuo’s thrusts were frustratingly slow at first, clearly terrified of hurting him.  
“You can go faster. I’m not going to break,” Izaya huffed impatiently, grabbing Shizuo’s ass and trying to pull him closer. Shizuo didn’t look convinced but quickened his pace nonetheless. His self-control seemed to waver from that point, his thrusts becoming steadily faster and harder as time went on. Sweat coated Izaya’s skin and his head was going foggy with sensation. His prostate was being brushed slightly with every thrust, sending little jolts of electricity up his spine. But it wasn’t enough.

Izaya reached for his cock, stroking himself in time with Shizuo’s thrusts. With the first touch to his neglected cock, Izaya felt his insides clench around Shizuo in response. The blonde groaned, tightly gripping Izaya’s thighs. Izaya knew if he was human he’d have bruises in the morning. Luckily for Shizu-chan’s fragile conscience, the marks would be long healed before he realised they existed. Shizuo’s thrusts were becoming desperate and Izaya knew he was close. He sped up his wrist, chasing Shizuo to the finish line. Noticing Izaya’s desperation, Shizuo deliberately adjusted his position until he managed to hit Izaya’s prostate directly. Izaya’s cock jolted against his palm and he felt his insides clench around Shizuo’s cock. This pushed Shizuo over the edge, his forehead collapsing against Izaya’s chest. Izaya stroked Shizuo’s sweaty hair as the blonde shuddered through his orgasm. Shizuo inched himself out of Izaya, lazily tying up the condom and throwing it into the bin beside the bed. Izaya continued to stroke himself, eager to join the blonde in post-orgasmic bliss. Shizuo reached out, pushing Izaya’s hand away and taking over. It didn’t take much longer, his orgasm hitting him harder than it ever had. Izaya slumped against the bed, spent.

Their pants echoed throughout the room as the pair caught their breath. At some point, Shizuo pulled Izaya into his arms and spooned him. Izaya let the blonde do it, secretly enjoying the tender act. Izaya wasn’t sure how long they laid there enjoying the comfort of each other’s embrace. Izaya had almost fallen asleep when Shizuo’s voice startled him back to awareness.  
“You don’t have to say anything. I just need to say this or I’ll regret it. You’re right, we could die at any moment. When I thought you were gone... it wrecked me. I didn’t understand why I was so upset at the time, but I get it now. It’s more than just a lack of hatred. Izaya, I’m pretty sure I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait for this one but I'm pretty sure this chapter made up for it ;)


	26. Chapter 26

Izaya’s breath hitched as the words left Shizuo’s mouth, his breathing stopping altogether in his shock. He lay rigid, unable to believe what he’d heard. Did Shizuo just...? He couldn’t have heard him properly. There was no way that Shizuo actually _loved_ him, right? Despite his uncertainty, a rush of happiness filled his chest just at the possibility. Shizuo wasn’t the type to lie, especially not about something like this. That’d be too cruel, even for someone like Izaya. But if it wasn’t a lie, then that meant Shizuo truly meant what he was saying. Shizuo loved him! Izaya couldn’t help a grin from spreading across his face and if his heart could beat there’s no doubt it would be racing.

He opened his mouth to return Shizuo’s confession but the words caught in his throat as reason stopped his happiness cold in its tracks. It was too good to be true. There was no way Shizuo truly loved him, not after everything he’d done. Izaya wasn’t worthy of being loved by anyone, let alone someone as kind-hearted as Shizu-chan. Izaya couldn’t allow himself to believe such a thing were possible. If he did then it’d be so much harder when Shizuo inevitably came to his senses. And he would. There was no doubt in Izaya’s mind that Shizuo would take it back soon enough. Shizuo wasn’t the type to lie, but that didn’t mean his feelings were real. He was just confused. _He_ _must be._

Shizuo, totally oblivious to Izaya’s internal crisis, drifted soundly to sleep soon after his confession. True to his word, he didn’t seem to need a reply from Izaya to be satisfied. Izaya couldn’t believe the brute could sleep at a time like this. You couldn’t just drop a bombshell like this on someone and then leave them to freak out alone. There was no way Izaya could sleep now! He was more awake than he’d ever felt, all exhaustion ripped from his system with Shizuo’s careless announcement. Adrenaline buzzed through him, making him feel jittery with tension. Izaya felt like he was in the middle of a deadly chase, not lying in bed safely wrapped in the arms of the man he loved. The man he loved, who’d just admitted that he loved him _back._ How was he supposed to believe something so convenient? It just didn’t make sense. Just over a week ago Shizuo had hated him; loathed him enough to want to murder him even. Hatred didn’t just disappear so easily.

Cuddling with Shizuo wasn’t doing him any favours. It’d be far too easy to believe the confession if he stayed like this. He needed to get some fresh air and clear his head. Izaya carefully slipped out of Shizuo’s arms, doing his best not to wake him. The blonde’s brow furrowed, but his eyes remained closed as he drowsily pawed at the empty space where Izaya had been. He scooped up Izaya’s pillow, hugging it close to his chest and burying his face in the fabric. This seemed to placate him and his frown calmed. Izaya allowed himself a moment to admire the sleeping blonde, affection swelling in his chest despite himself. If only Izaya were a more careless person, then he could let himself accept Shizuo’s confession without any fear of the future. But he was not a careless person. Izaya had spent far too long building up his defences to be swayed by pretty words so easily.

Izaya got dressed quickly, hastily slipping his switchblade into his pocket before heading out the door. The roof of his apartment building was abandoned, as one would expect at this time of night. There were still a few hours of darkness left before the sun was due to rise; plenty of time for Izaya to sort out his thoughts and return to bed before Shizuo even noticed his absence. The cold night air nipped at his face but he resisted the urge to shiver, not wanting to admit he should’ve brought his coat.  
“Is it really so hard to believe that Shizu-chan loves you?” his demon’s voice cut through the silence. The chill disappeared and Izaya found himself in the lukewarm atmosphere of his mind-office.  
“I wish you’d stop summoning me here without my permission,” Izaya sighed, secretly glad for the company. Maybe a second opinion could be beneficial.  
“I can’t summon anyone. It’s your soul that summons _me_ when you’re distressed. You needed someone to talk some sense into you, so here I am. You’re letting your fears blind you from the truth. You need to stop being a coward and tell Shizuo how you feel.” His demon rolled his eyes. Izaya changed his mind. He didn’t want to hear this creature’s opinion after all.

“Shizu-chan doesn’t love me. He just _thinks_ he loves me because we had sex. He’s confusing love with lust. He’ll soon realise his mistake and I’ll have dug my own grave if I confess my feelings to him before then,” Izaya growled.  
“I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit. We both know Shizu-chan isn’t as naïve as you claim he is and he’s certainly not a liar. If he says he loves you, then he truly believes that. Shouldn’t you let him decide whether his feelings are real or not?”  
“And when he changes his mind, what then? I can’t go back to the way things were. It’s too cruel.”  
“If he changes his mind then we’ll get through it together. But I genuinely don’t think that’ll happen. I’ve seen the way Shizu-chan treats you, even if you refuse to notice. I don’t think sex is what caused his change of heart. He clearly cared about you long before that. He might’ve even loved you before you were turned, just as you’ve loved him for years.”  
“Don’t be ridiculous. Shizu-chan’s hated me since the moment we met.”  
“Hmmm, perhaps. But didn’t you also believe you hated him until I helped reveal your true feelings? Maybe, Shizu-chan has come to a similar conclusion all by himself.”

Izaya opened his mouth to argue but the demon’s posture suddenly went stiff, its ears perking up and eyes narrowing in suspicion.  
“We’re being watched,” it announced and suddenly Izaya was thrust back in reality. His face and fingers were numb from the cold, but he focussed his attention on his surroundings. As subtly as he could manage, Izaya scanned the area for any signs of movement. _There._ The faintest flicker of movement on the building to the left. His human eyesight would’ve never caught it, the shadow having disappeared in an instant. But Izaya was sure of what he’d seen. Someone was definitely watching him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled upright and dread settled in his stomach. He had a bad feeling about this.

He had to get back inside to warn Shizu-chan. Izaya turned towards the roof door, forcing himself to move at a normal pace so that he didn’t raise his observer’s suspicions. He quickly realised that this was a mistake, as the sound of a projectile hissing through the air caught his attention. Izaya moved out of its path instinctively. His eyes followed the bullet as it sped past his face. It shattered the window of the door. Glass rained down onto the ground in a cacophonous clatter in the dead quiet of night. Izaya’s eyes narrowed as he searched the darkness.  
“Stop hiding and face me! Or do you intend to keep shooting at me from a distance like a coward?” Izaya goaded his hidden attacker. He knew he was at a disadvantage as long as the sniper remained concealed. He needed to draw him out into the open where he’d have a better chance of dodging.

Unfortunately, it seemed like his attacker knew this too because they didn’t take the bait. Izaya sighed in frustration at the lack of response, knowing he’d have to pursue them himself. He leapt onto the other building, heading towards the site he’d first seen the shadow, but he found no one.  
“Where are you?” Izaya hissed under his breath, searching the darkness once more. But this time he saw no sign of movement. Clearly he was dealing with a professional. That narrowed the suspects down considerably. There were only a few professional assassins in Tokyo at the moment.  
“Кто тебя нанял? Я могу заплатить тебе в двое больше чем они предложили. Почему бы тебе не показаться, и тогда мы сможем обсудить условия?” (Who hired you? I'm sure I could pay you double what they did. Why don't you come out and we can talk terms?)” Izaya switched to Russian calmly.

“Не все мы рабы денег, информатор. Для меня важно только лояльность моего работодателя.” (We aren't all slaves to money, Informant. I only have loyalty to my employer.)”  
Izaya whipped around to find the assassin standing calmly behind him. Izaya hadn’t heard his approach, despite being sure the roof had been empty only moments earlier.  
“Ah, Egor. Why am I not surprised? Last I heard, Shizu-chan had done quite a number on your face. But from what I see, you’re looking quite well. Shingen’s plastic surgery skills sure are something.”  
“Dr Kishitani did more than heal my face. I feel better than ever. I bet I could even kill that monster Heiwajima if I wanted to,” Egor said confidently. Izaya held back the urge to hiss at him.  
“I highly doubt that. Shizu-chan isn’t someone to be underestimated. You should know that better than most people, ne?” Izaya chuckled, forcing nonchalance. The assassin couldn’t know about his feelings for Shizuo, it’d only put him in danger. It didn’t matter how resilient the brute was.  
“You shouldn’t underestimate me either, Informant. That confidence of yours is going to get you killed one day,” Egor warned him.

“That’s your goal, isn’t it? I assume Shingen sent you here to kill me. I’m surprised it took him so long, honestly. I doubt he’s pleased that one of his experiments is running around unsupervised.”  
“On the contrary, Shingen specifically requested that I bring you back alive.”  
“Is that so? Well I must say that you have a funny way of kidnapping people. Shooting me in the head would defeat the purpose, ne?”  
Egor chuckled humourlessly, “We both know killing you isn’t so simple anymore.”  
Izaya fought to keep his smirk in place. “Ah, so Shingen told you about my new... lifestyle. You don’t seem surprised. I never pinned you as a superstitious man.”  
“Oh I wasn’t, but some things are hard to deny once you experience them for yourself.”

In the blink of an eye, Egor was gone. It was only due to Izaya’s heightened eyesight that he could track his movements as Egor leapt towards him. Izaya ducked out of the way of a punch, only to be struck in the gut by Egor’s left leg. The assassin had the advantage of years of combat training. With the addition of supernatural strength and speed, Izaya had no hope of beating him. Close-range combat had never been his strong suit. He preferred defensive strategies and running. Izaya had to find an opportunity to escape. If he could make a run for it, he might have a chance. But Egor’s attacks were relentless. Izaya only had time to think about dodging blow after blow. This wasn’t like fighting Shizu-chan. His attacks weren’t impulsive and fuelled by rage. Egor was a trained professional who knew how to read Izaya’s movements. Each time he managed to dodge one attack, he merely fell into the range of another.

The taste of iron flooded Izaya’s mouth as a particularly painful blow struck his abdomen and he huddled over to cough blood onto the pavement. He didn’t have the chance to right himself before a heavy elbow hit the back of his neck, dropping him face-first into the concrete. Izaya could feel his wounds healing themselves, but he barely had the chance to recover before the next carefully placed blow. The blows continued, cracking bones and dislocating limbs from their sockets. Izaya continued to struggle to get up, but he could feel his movements becoming sluggish. He knew the fight would be over soon. His whole body ached and he was exhausted. Black spots clouded his vision and unconsciousness threatened to take him. He knew he couldn’t last much longer.  
“Alright, alright, enough. I’ll come with you,” Izaya admitted defeat. At least if he went with Egor willingly, there was less chance of the assassin going back for Shizuo. If he was going to be taken, the least he could do was protect Shizu-chan.

********

Izaya’s side of the bed was empty when Shizuo woke up. Dread settled into his stomach at the sight. An anxious search of the apartment confirmed his suspicions. Izaya was gone. Shizuo felt his heart drop. He’d known this was a risk when he confessed to Izaya. The informant had always been the type to run from a situation instead of confronting it directly. But Shizuo had convinced himself that _maybe_ Izaya might feel the same way. Of course, that wasn’t the case. Izaya was probably laughing at him right now. Or worse, Izaya wasn’t laughing. What if he was repulsed? Sleeping with a monster was one thing, but having a monster love him was an entirely different matter. Izaya loved all humans. He’d always been very clear that Shizuo was not included in that declaration. Even though Shizuo had expected this reaction, it didn’t make it hurt any less.

He had no idea when Izaya would return, but it shouldn’t be longer than twelve hours. Even Izaya wouldn’t risk Shizuo’s health just for the sake of avoiding him. But the apartment was too quiet and he detested the prospect of being left alone with his own thoughts for hours on end. He needed to find a way to occupy himself until the flea got back. Shizuo took his time getting dressed, meticulously putting the components of his bartender outfit together. He then decided to busy himself with cleaning the bedsheets. He did his best not to tear them as he tugged them off the bed. It was hard not to think about what they’d done last night, with the evidence of their love-making exposed to the light of day. Shizuo had been so happy then; the revelation of his feelings for Izaya tinging all of his actions with tenderness that he never thought himself capable. It was hard to believe how quickly that happiness had faded, only to be replaced with regret and disappointment. He shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up. Izaya had clearly stated from the beginning that it was just sex between them. It was Shizuo’s fault for seeing fondness in Izaya’s actions where there were none.

Despite his best efforts not to, Shizuo ended up brooding over Izaya for the rest of the day. He couldn’t stop analysing their recent interactions over and over. He’d really thought that Izaya felt the same way. Had it really all been in his head? Had Shizuo just been projecting his own feelings onto the memories of the past week? Maybe he’d just been seeing what he wanted to. Before Shizuo knew it, the sun had set. He couldn’t believe how quickly the time had passed. It felt like he’d only been lying on the couch in thought for a few minutes. He glanced at the clock, shocked to find it’d already been ten hours since he’d woken up. Shizuo had no idea what time Izaya had left that morning, but he sure was cutting it close. Unable to wait anymore, Shizuo slipped on his shoes. If Izaya wasn’t going to come back, Shizuo would find him himself. He froze when his eyes landed on a familiar shape by the door. Shizuo’s skin prickled with unease as he gently plucked the coat off the rack. Izaya practically never left the house without his coat. Why would he leave it now?

Shizuo’s gut told him something was off and he couldn’t shake the feeling the entire walk to Shinra’s. If Izaya was going to hide out anywhere it would be there, Shizuo was sure of it. He pounded impatiently on the door, too anxious to feel guilty about the dents his knuckles left in the wood. Shinra looked exasperated when he opened the door.  
“Shizuo, I’d appreciate it if you refrained from breaking all my property,” Shinra sighed. Shizuo didn’t bother greeting him as he pushed past the doctor.  
“Izaya! I know you’re here bastard, answer me!” Shizuo marched towards the living room. He paused in the hallway when he only found Celty sitting on the couch alone. She waved at him and typed something on her PDA but Shizuo couldn’t focus on the screen, too busy searching the room for any sign of Izaya.

“He’s not here. We haven’t seen him since the night at the mansion.” Shinra confirmed his fears. Guilt flooded through him as Shizuo realised he’d been wrong. Instead of looking for Izaya, he’d wasted almost a whole day moping around the house. Who knows what shit Izaya might have gone through in that amount of time!  
“[What’s wrong, Shizuo? You look pale.] Celty rushed to Shinra’s side.  
“Izaya’s missing. I haven’t seen him since… since last night. At first I thought he’d just run away, but I’m not so sure anymore. He left his coat,” Shizuo explained, gesturing to the piece of clothing still grasped in his hand. He hadn’t even realised he’d taken it with him until that moment.  
Shinra frowned, reaching for the coat in Shizuo’s hand. Shizuo reluctantly handed it over to the doctor, who rifled through the pockets to pull out Izaya’s wallet, keys and several phones. Shizuo felt like an idiot for not checking the pockets himself.  
“Well Izaya certainly wouldn’t leave these things behind if he planned to skip town,” Shinra stated the obvious.

[Do you think someone kidnapped him!?] Smoke plumed out of Celty’s neck anxiously.  
“It seems likely. Izaya has a lot of enemies, after all. Although I’m surprised they were able to capture him with his newfound abilities,” Shinra mused.  
[It had to have been another vampire. Either that or another supernatural being of equal strength. A human wouldn’t have been able to capture Izaya as he is now.]  
“We don’t have time for this! Izaya’s been kidnapped, we need to find him!” Shizuo growled, snatching the coat back and hugging it to his chest as if the article of clothing would lead him to Izaya’s whereabouts.  
“Anger isn’t going to help find him either, Shizuo. We need to think about this rationally. If it’s a vampire that took Izaya, we should ask the other servamps if they know anything,” Shinra suggested.  
Shizuo saw red. He was suddenly certain he knew who’d taken Izaya.  
“I’m going to fucking kill those bastards!”

********

Izaya wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep, the last thing he remembered being Egor driving them towards Yagiri Pharmaceutical’s laboratory. It didn’t seem likely that his unconsciousness was coincidental, considering he was sitting on the ground of a cold, metalic cell. He tried to stand, only to find his wrists and ankles chained to the wall behind him. Izaya yanked roughly at the chains, surprised when they didn’t crumble under under the force.  
“Don’t bother. Those chains won’t break, I’ve tried. They’re specially designed by C3 to keep vampires contained,” A tired voice spoke from the cell to his left. Izaya turned to find a pale man with shaggy, light-blue hair chained to the wall in the same way he was. He wore a coat the same colour as his hair with the hood pulled close over his head. The hood was lined with thick, black fur that spiked upwards in two points, resembling cat ears. He had an exasperated look on his face that didn’t suggest his spirit was broken, as one would expect, rather that he found this entire situation cumbersome.

“Who might you be?” Izaya suspected that he knew the answer, but he wanted confirmation.  
“I currently go by Kuro,” he sighed as if he considered the task of introducing himself tedious. He didn’t ask for Izaya’s name in return. Izaya decided to tell him anyway.  
“Nice to meet you, Kuro. My name is Izaya Orihara. I know a few of your brothers. They’re quite concerned with your safety. I was helping them plan your escape until recently,” Izaya explained.  
“Since you’re here with me, I assume your plan didn’t go very well,” Kuro said matter-of-factly.  
“I came here willingly, actually,” Izaya corrected him. True this was never part of his plan, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t improvise. He’d figure something out, he always did.  
Kuro hummed incredulously, “Right. It sure looks like you know _exactly_ what you’re doing. Don’t let me distract you then.”

Kuro’s dismissive attitude was infuriating Izaya, but he tried not to let his frustration show.  
“I heard your eve was missing as well. Is that him?” Izaya asked, gesturing his head to the slumped figure in the cell next to Kuro. He didn’t acknowledge either of them, continuing to glare furiously at the bars in front of him. The man’s black hair was dishevelled and his red eyes were partially obscured by thin sunglasses perched on his nose.  
“Him? No, that guy’s called Tsubaki. I haven’t seen Mahiru since they locked me up in here. He can’t be very far though. I can still sense him,” Kuro explained. Izaya looked at the farthest servamp curiously, he hadn’t expected there to be more than one servamp imprisoned here. He’d known Tsubaki had disappeared, but all the other servamps were under the impression that his absence was voluntary.  
“How long have you been here?” Izaya probed. Kuro shrugged.  
“Who knows. There’s no way to tell the passing of time down here and keeping track of that stuff is hard enough for vampires our age. It could be weeks, maybe months. I don’t think it’s been a year yet, but it’s impossible to know for sure.”

“According to your brothers, you’ve been missing for just over two months,” Izaya told him.  
“Only two months, huh? I could’ve sworn it felt longer,” Kuro said, leaning heavily against the wall.  
“How’d you get captured in the first place? I thought you were the strongest servamp,” Izaya asked.  
“C3 contacted Miharu telling him that they had news on Tsubaki’s whereabouts. Being the naïve kid he is, he thought he could trust C3 since he’d had dealings with them before. Obviously he was wrong, since they used him as leverage to force me to comply with their bizarre requests. Some creepy doctor visited me for weeks running tests and taking blood–”  
“Now that isn’t very nice! I’ll have you know my wife says I’m quite charming,” Shingen’s voice interrupted them from a speaker at the corner of the room. Izaya should’ve known they were being watched. He turned towards the speaker, quickly spotting the camera beside it. Finally Izaya could ask the questions that had been weighing on him since this vampire nightmare began.  
“What’s the meaning of all this? Why did you make me this way? You could’ve chosen anyone!”  
“Now, now. Don’t be so modest. I’ll admit you weren’t my first choice. I would’ve loved to see how Shizuo Heiwajima reacted to the change. Unfortunately, we both know capturing Heiwajima isn’t an easy task. So I decided to get the next best thing, his arch rival! The one man to consistently face off against him and remain unharmed! You’re truly remarkable, Orihara.”

“Fuck you,” Izaya hissed, furious at the thought of Shizu-chan being this lunatic’s guinea pig.  
“Now, now, I’m not your dear Shizu-chan. Men aren’t to my tastes,” Shingen clicked his tongue.  
Izaya flinched. “How the fuck–”  
“Of course I’ve been monitoring you since you escaped. I wouldn’t give up on one of my precious experiments so easily. It wasn’t hard to bug your apartment. All I had to do was offer your secretary the right price. Did you honestly think she could steal those files without my knowledge? I _wanted_ you to learn more about your abilities. It makes the experiment that much more interesting! Truthfully, I had no idea you would form a contract with Shizuo Heiwajima. It couldn’t have been more perfect! It’s truly disappointing that I had to intervene. The experiment was going so smoothly. But I couldn’t let your relationship progress further. Love has no place in these kinds of experiments. It’s a shame that Heiwajima has to die, but mistakes are inevitable in experiments such as these. I’ll try my best to find you a suitable eve in his place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to гость for helping me with the Russian translations! :D


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys, I am soooo sorry for how long this took to update. I had a whole lot of changes happen in my life all at once that took up a lot of my free time. First of all I got a girlfriend, which is the best but also super time consuming haha. I also graduated from my degree and got a second job in my feild! So yeah, you could say I've been pretty busy. But don't worry, I'm back and I plan to finish this fic soon :D

“Kill kill kill kill kill,” Shizuo growled the familiar mantra under his breath. He watched the city pass by the window impatiently as Celty drove the three of them to the Arisuin Mansion. Rage buzzed through his body with familiar electricity, boiling his blood and burning his skin to a fever. His vision narrowed to red and his muscles tensed tighter in anticipation the longer he was forced to sit still. Shizuo tried uselessly to release some of the tension, clenching and unclenching his fists in restless repetition. He was going to kill each and every one of those servamp bastards and then he’d kill them _again_ when they revived. How dare they kidnap Izaya after everything they’d done to him?  
Shinra’s voice interrupted his murderous reverie.  
“Are you sure the other servamps are responsible for Izaya’s disappearance? They seemed to be getting along just fine the last time we saw them.”  
Shizuo tried to focus through the red haze, having trouble focussing. He blinked several times before the fuzziness in his vision cleared.  
“The last time I fucking saw those bastards they killed Izaya in front of me and I told them to go fuck themselves. So yeah, I’m _pretty_ sure. They’re probably planning on forcing Izaya to help them rescue their brother,” Shizuo hissed, clenching his teeth in outrage at the memory.

Finally, Shooter approached the mansion and Shizuo unbuckled his seatbelt. He rushed out of the car before it came to a full stop. His head spun at the sudden movement and for a moment his feet were unsteady underneath him. He stumbled forward before managing to catch himself. He heard Shinra call out in concern behind him but Shizuo ignored him, shaking his head to brush off the moment of weakness before marching towards the front doors determinedly. He didn’t bother knocking, simply kicking the doors open roughly. Splintered wood skittered across the tiles. A few servants scattered at his approach, clearly sensing the danger radiating off him. He paid them no mind as he headed for the room the servamps had gathered in last time. Lawless and Lily were the only ones there when Shizuo entered. Their eyes were already turned towards the doorway, clearly having heard his approach.

“Where the fuck is he?” Shizuo’s hammer manifested into his hand. It felt heavier than usual and his arm shook with the weight of it, but he maintained his grip as he pointed it menacingly in their direction.  
“Who?” Lawless frowned, looking more annoyed than concerned by Shizuo’s threatening aura.  
“Don’t fuck with me, asshole. Tell me where Izaya is right now!” Shizuo snapped, adjusting his grip on the hammer as he approached the vampires. Lawless manifested his own weapon in response.  
“Don’t make me stab you again, Friend. I have no quarrel with you,” Lawless warned him.  
“I’m not your fucking friend, bastard,” Shizuo hissed through clenched teeth. He abandoned his weapon in favour of the familiarity of his own fists. He swung his fist recklessly towards Lawless’ face but the vampire easily sidestepped the blow. Shizuo’s balance teetered and he staggered as his feet failed him once more. His growled in frustration at his body’s lack of cooperation.  
  
“Now, now, there’s no need for violence. We honestly don’t know where Izaya is,” Lily said calmly, “You shouldn’t push yourself. The separation is clearly taking its toll on your health. How long has it been since you last saw him?”  
“Bullshit. How do you expect me to trust anything you bastards say after what you did to him?” Shizuo growled, ignoring Lily’s question. He didn’t have time to worry about himself.  
“What Mikuni did to Izaya was out of line, I’ll admit that. But we haven’t seen him since you left last night. You have my word,” Lily assured him.  
“You’d know if he was here. The sickness you’re experiencing would’ve faded if he was anywhere in the vicinity. Besides that, what would we have to gain from kidnapping Izaya now? He gave us everything we needed to break into the lab yesterday,” Lawless said. Shizuo hesitated. They were right. Even before the contract Shizuo could usually smell when Izaya was nearby, but there was no sign of Izaya’s familiar scent anywhere. Izaya wasn’t here.

His anger chilled to dread in his veins as he realised he’d been wrong again. He’d wasted _more_ precious time coming here. Who knew how long it would take to find Izaya now? Shizuo wasn’t sure how much time he even had left. He knew for sure that Izaya had been missing for at least twelve hours, but it had likely been longer considering he had no idea what time Izaya had been taken. _Fuck._ What was he going to do now?

He heard the sound of footsteps in the doorway and he turned to see Celty and Shinra enter the room with a crying Grace in tow. The little girl ran over to him as soon as she saw him.  
“Kitty,” Grace sobbed, drawing the word out into a whine. Shizuo crouched down in front of her.  
“What’s wrong, hey? Did one of those vampire kids hurt you?” Shizuo asked her gently, looking her over for injuries. She shook her head and tugged on his pant leg desperately.  
“Kitty’s in a cage,” she sniffled. Shizuo’s heart raced at the tiny prophet’s words.  
“Izaya? Do you know where he is?” Shizuo asked the toddler urgently. Grace nodded and wandered over towards the table. It was scattered with papers and she could barely see over the top, but without hesitation Grace reached for a piece of paper instinctively. She tugged it down, lying the large map of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals onto the floor. She barely glanced at it before pointing at a certain section.

Shizuo, Lawless and Lily all hunched over the map, inspecting where Grace had pointed curiously. The room was unspecified on the map, residing in one of the underground levels of the laboratory. Of course they’d hide all their shady shit in the basement.  
“We have to get him out of there. Who knows what fucked up shit your Dad is doing to him,” Shizuo stood, ignoring the way it made his vision blur momentarily. When his sight cleared he turned to Shinra and Celty resolutely. Shinra grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck.  
“I doubt my father will give him up easily. If Izaya is his latest experiment, he’s going to want to see it through,” Shinra told them warily.  
“That won’t be a problem after we kill him,” Lawless interrupted, “He needs to pay for kidnapping my brother. We should’ve broken Kuro out of there when I first suggested it. Now Izaya’s suffered for it.”  
“I’d actually prefer if you didn’t murder my father,” Shinra spoke casually, despite the dark topic.

“No one’s killing anyone,” Shizuo told them, feeling uncharacteristically calm. They didn’t have time for this. Sure he could rush into the lab and try to fight his way to Izaya, but being reckless wouldn’t do them any good. He was considerably weakened right now and there was no guaranteeing his strength would return the moment he entered the lab. Besides, Izaya had told them that storming the lab wouldn’t work and Shizuo trusted Izaya’s judgement. The informant had already done most of the legwork for them by devising a strategy to rescue Kuro. It wouldn’t change things too drastically if they added rescuing Izaya. Shizuo moved towards the table, searching through the papers.  
“Did you finish the plan for rescuing your brother?” Shizuo asked them as he sorted through the information, not entirely sure what it all meant. Lily stood to join him, helping Shizuo organise the information with more coherency. He was grateful for the help, knowing the research would’ve gone over his head even if he weren’t having trouble concentrating on the words.

“We had the majority of it outlined the other night, but Izaya was going to be the one executing it. He had firsthand knowledge of the lab’s layout. That’s why we didn’t go ahead without you. We also don’t know how many C3 operatives are in the building. They’d recognise any of us if we tried to go alone.” Lily ran a hand through his hair, glaring at the papers in frustration.  
“What was Izaya’s plan to get in? Didn’t he say the place was heavily guarded?” Shizuo frowned.  
“Someone was going to pose as an employee in order to gain access without raising suspicion,” Lily said, gesturing to the lab coat and access card that Izaya had provided.  
“Okay. Who’d Izaya have in mind?” Shizuo asked, looking around the room. Shinra was probably pretty well known at the lab because of his Dad and there was no way Celty would be allowed in the lab with her helmet on. A headless woman would definitely cause a commotion. Anxiety started to fill him as he began to suspect the answer before Lily replied.  
“You, Shizuo.”

 

********

This is never going to work, Shizuo thought to himself for probably the hundredth time as he begrudgingly stepped through the glass doors of the Yagiri Pharmaceuticals laboratory. It was getting late but the building’s windows still shone bright with the telltale signs of activity. The entrance was mostly empty, only one security guard manning the door and a woman sitting behind a reception desk. On the left of the desk were security gates similar to those you’d find at a train station and the right held several elevators. She nodded respectfully at him as he entered but didn’t question his presence. This was the reaction they’d been relying on. The lab had over 300 employees, far too many for the receptionist to keep track of faces. Despite this, Shizuo tugged self-consciously at his labcoat and tried to school his expression into one of confidence as he headed for the elevators. This kind of thing would be child’s play for Izaya. The flea could pretend he belonged anywhere, while Shizuo didn’t have a dishonest bone in his body. He knew he wouldn’t be able to talk his way into the lab if they decided to question him. His only hope of success was to get to the elevator doors without raising suspicion.

Shizuo forced himself to stroll calmly across the room instead of the speedwalk his adrenaline urged, only allowing himself to relax after he reached for the elevator button.  
“Excuse me, sir.” The woman’s voice shattered Shizuo’s hopes and stopped his hand in its tracks.  
He turned warily in her direction, his fist clenching around the satchel handle in his right hand involuntarily.  
“Yes?” he asked, forcing a polite smile onto his face through the tension he felt.  
“You forgot to sign in,” she informed him, gesturing to a large folder sitting in front of her. She didn’t look suspicious, her polite smile unwavering as if she’d been through this scenario a hundred times.  
“Oh right, of course,” Shizuo said, tapping his fingers to his forehead as if the task had merely slipped his mind. He walked briskly back to the desk and picked up the pen placed on top of the folder. He scanned the page, noting all the sections that needed filling: Name, ID number, Department, Date and Time. Shizuo pulled out his phone, making a show of checking the time as he tried to come up with a fake name. He wracked his brain but couldn’t remember any of the employee names from Izaya’s files. He’s sure the flea’s memory would’ve conjured up any one of those names easily.

Shizuo shrugged off the thought. Izaya wasn’t here and Shizuo would just have to make do without him. The longer he wasted here, the more chance there was of Izaya getting hurt. He hastily filled out the form with the following: Shizuo Heiwajima, 121314, Science, October 19th, 10:12pm. He handed the form back to the lady with a nod and she took the folder back with barely a glance to his relief. By the time anyone realised something was amiss with the form, he planned to be long gone anyway. His heart was pounding as he made his way back to the elevators, pressing the button perhaps a bit too firmly if the dent in the metal had anything to say about it. Luckily he didn’t break the button, since the elevator gave a chime of arrival.

Once the doors were closed, Shizuo let out a sigh of relief. He turned his attention to the array of buttons lining the wall. He knew Izaya was being held in one of the basement floors, but the elevator only showed one ‘basement’ button. He guessed that was as good a start as any. He tapped the button and it turned red, only to turn white again almost instantly. He pressed it again several times but the elevator remained stubbornly still. Annoyance bubbled up inside him and he let out a growl of frustration. He was so close dammit! Shizuo wasn’t going to let a faulty elevator stop him.  
Just as he was about to exit the elevator, hoping to find a set of stairs instead, a voice from inside his bag gave him pause.  
“You need to use the access card, Idiot,” Lawless poked his hedgehog face out from the corner of the satchel. Shizuo scowled at him, trying to hide his embarrassment.  
“Shut up, I know that,” Shizuo growled, snatching the blank plastic card from his pocket. He looked back at the wall, only just now noticing the presence of a sensor beside the buttons. Shizuo tapped the card over it and the light beside it turned green. He tried the button again and this time it remained red. To his relief, the elevator finally started moving downwards.

Lawless jumped onto the floor and transformed back into human form. Lily did the same, the pink butterfly delicately flying out of the confines of the bag to land on his human feet gracefully. Flanked on both sides by the servamps, Shizuo couldn’t tell if he felt more or less nervous in their company. In their haste, they hadn’t had a chance to mobilise the rest of the servamps so it was just the two of them. Shinra and Celty had entered the lab under the guise of visiting Shinra’s father several minutes before Shizuo. The hope was that they’d distract Shingen long enough to smuggle Izaya and Kuro out of the lab undetected.  
“This elevator is undoubtedly monitored by surveillance cameras so act natural. Thankfully vampires don’t show up on camera. They shouldn’t detect us for a while. You, however, need to keep up the façade until we find the others. Can you do that?” Lily asked Shizuo calmly.  
Shizuo scowled. “Of course I can. Just stay out of sight and don’t slow me down.”  
He didn’t care about these bastards or their brother. Getting Izaya out was his priority and he’d achieve that with or without their help.

 

********

Izaya woke up to stiff limbs and sore muscles. He wasn’t sure when he’d dozed off, but he deeply regretted the aftermath of the awkward sleeping position. His wrists and ankles stung from the chaffing of the shackles and his back ached from his hunched position. He wasn’t sure how many hours it’d been since his capture. There were no windows to reveal whether it was night or day and his phone had been confiscated along with his knife. The thought of Shingen having the switchblade in his possession scared Izaya more than imprisonment ever could. He could handle being kidnapped, this wasn’t his first time. Being restrained and tortured felt like slight discomfort compared to some of the wounds he’d sustained from his fights with Shizuo. Particularly when he was younger and his parkour skills hadn’t fully developed yet. Back in that first year of high school, he’d had to visit Shinra after almost every chase. If he’d merely been captured, Izaya wouldn’t have worried. But that knife was the only thing keeping him alive and without it safely in his grasp Izaya could feel himself start to panic.

His wasn’t the only life at stake. If Shingen was right, Shizuo was going to die. It must’ve been at least twelve hours since he was taken by now. Was Shizuo suffering right now? Could the magical illness of their separation even affect his resilient immune system? Izaya prayed that Shizuo’s monstrous strength would protect him as it always had. If Shizuo were to die because of him, Izaya would never forgive himself. He’d known his love would only bring Shizuo misfortune and for once he hated to be proven right. Would Shizuo assume Izaya had abandoned him? Izaya’s heart ached at the thought that Shizuo would die thinking that he’d betrayed him. They’d always known the other would be the cause of their demise, but Izaya had always assumed it would be him. Shizuo deserved so much better than this. Izaya punched the metal wall next to him in frustration, his blood now staining the undamaged wall as his knuckles knit themselves back together.

Suddenly the sound of chains clanging suggested movement from the other cells. Izaya looked over to find his cellmates alert and on their feet.  
“What’s wrong?” Izaya asked them, looking around the room curiously for any indication of what had gotten their attention.  
“There are two servamps in the building,” Kuro explained, “Can’t you feel their auras?”  
Izaya frowned and tried to look inside himself for any abnormal sensation. Now that he’d mentioned it, the air around them did feel slightly different. He wouldn’t have noticed it at all if Kuro hadn’t pointed it out though. The older servamps were clearly more attuned to their powers than he was. He still had a lot to learn, it seemed.  
“They must’ve gone through with the plan without me. But there’s supposed to be four servamps. I wonder where the others are,” Izaya mused. He wondered if Shizuo was with them. He _hoped_ Shizuo was with them. The last time they’d seen the servamps Shizuo had boycotted helping them, but with Izaya’s disappearance he might’ve gone back to them for help. If Shizuo was here then he wouldn’t die from their separation. Izaya tried to see if he could sense Shizuo like Kuro had said he could sense his eve, but he wasn’t really sure what to look for. Shizuo had always been the one with an uncanny sixth-sense for the other’s presence, not him.

Izaya raised himself to his feet, his aches and pains forgotten with the promise of freedom and the possibility of saving Shizuo’s life. The three of them trained their eyes on the door, waiting tensely for any sign of their saviours. They didn’t have to wait long, the locked door giving way to a hard kick a few minutes later. Lawless and Lily rushed over to Kuro’s cell in a blur. Shizuo stepped into the room, his eyes turning towards Izaya instinctually. Izaya felt his breath catch in his throat at the raw emotion on Shizuo’s face. He couldn’t help remembering Shizuo’s confession the night before and wondering if his feelings were real after all. It wouldn’t be hard to convince himself that Shizuo loved him with the blond looking at him like this.  
“Shizu-chan!” Izaya tried to close the distance between them, but the shackles held him in place.

Shizuo rushed over to clutch the bars of Izaya’s cell.  
“Izaya! Are you okay?” he called, sounding both relieved and worried at once.  
“I’m okay,” Izaya reassured him, “but we have to get out of here quickly. Shingen has the cells under surveillance. He’ll be here any second.”  
“Don’t worry about him, Shinra’s distracting his Dad so we could get you out,” Shizuo explained as he tugged at the bars. Despite his immense strength, the bars remained stubbornly intact.  
“What the fuck are these bars made of? They won’t budge,” Shizuo hissed between gritted teeth.  
“They’ve been made to withstand vampiric super-strength. I don’t think even your strength could break them, Shizu-chan,” Izaya frowned. There had to be a key somewhere, maybe Shingen had them on him? That reminded him of an even more urgent matter.  
“Shizu-chan, you have to find Shingen! He has my switchblade! He probably has the keys too. Just leave us here and get them right away,” Izaya insisted.  
“Fuck that, I’m not leaving you here. You can get another bloody knife,” Shizuo argued, tugging more firmly at the bars with no effect.

“You don’t understand. It’s not just a knife, Shizu-chan! If Shingen breaks that switchblade I’ll die,” Izaya explained desperately. Shizuo froze in his attempts, looking up at Izaya with a frown of confusion.  
“What do you mean you’ll die? It’s just a knife.”  
“No, Shizu-chan. It’s more than that now. It’s the symbol of our contract. If Shingen were to break that knife, my life as a servamp would end. I’d die permanently. You have to get that knife back Shizuo, please.” Izaya’s voice trembled.  
“Shit. So even if I got you out of here it wouldn’t matter cause that bastard could just break that knife and kill you? That’s really fucked up, Izaya.” Shizuo ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  
“It’s no use,” Lawless announced, giving Kuro’s cell bars a heavy kick, “Even the combined strength of two servamps can’t get these cells open. We need the key.”  
“Fuck. This wasn’t part of the plan. We were supposed to get them out without alerting Shinra’s Dad. He’s not just going to hand the keys and Izaya’s knife over to us willingly,” Shizuo complained.

Lawless bared his teeth. “It’s simple, either he hands over the keys or we kill him. I’m not fucking around with some arrogant human. They’re all easy to kill, some simply need reminding.”    
“Go with that guy and get the keys, we’ll be fine here. Make sure you find Mahiru while you’re out there. I know he’s somewhere in this facility, they must be keeping him in a separate cell block,” Kuro told his brothers firmly.  
“I’m not just going to leave you here. What if something happens to you while I’m gone,” Shizuo insisted, yanking uselessly at the bars again.  
“You have to. Nothing’s going to happen to me. Shingen needs me alive, he said so himself. I’m his precious experiment. As long as I’m in his possession, he won’t risk breaking the knife. But I can’t say the same if I escape again. That’s why it’s important you get that knife first, Shizu-chan. As long as he has that knife, I’ll never be safe,” Izaya’s voice was steady as he reasoned with Shizuo. Shizuo looked pained and then sighed in defeat.

He set his jaw and looked at Izaya unwaveringly.  
“Fine, but I’ll be back as soon as possible. I’m going to get you out of here, Izaya, and when I do we’re going to talk about what I told you last night. I know I said I didn’t need to hear your response but I changed my mind. I need to know how you feel. It’s important to me.”  
Izaya’s mouth fell open at Shizuo’s words, surprised by the sudden declaration. He watched in shocked silence as Shizuo left the room. Suddenly, Izaya was hit by the realisation that this might be his last chance to confess. If something were to happen to either of them before they reunited, Shizuo would never know how he felt. He tried to call out to the blonde, but the words caught in his throat. Years of suppression held him back. When Izaya finally managed to choke out a strangled ‘Shizu-chan, wait’ the blonde was already gone.


End file.
